Services set for Joe Conner

Joe L. Conner, Ph.D., publisher of The Fairfax Chief, died  September 12, 2023. He was 74.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 16, at the Fairfax Methodist Church, 105 N 5th St., with graveside at the Fairfax Cemetery, 600 S. 8th St. 
Conner was born May 3, 1949, in Shidler. 
He met his wife, Carol Nice, while attending Northwestern State College in Alva. Within months of meeting, they were married.
Conner earned his Masters and Doctorate degrees at Oklahoma State University. He was the first American Indian to complete a doctoral degree in both clinical and experimental psychology.
He began his career at the Pawnee Indian Hospital as a clinical psychologist, later transferring to the Seattle Veterans Affairs Hospital where he was appointed Deputy Director of the Psychology Service.
When the Conners returned to Grainola, Oklahoma, they began a health research business, Paradox.
The Conners took over publication of The Fairfax Chief in November 2015 following the death of then owner and publisher Ida Roberts, who was Joe’s sister.
Conner was proud of his Osage heritage and worked to educate people about tribal and Osage history. For many years, he was the chief advocate and worker trying to restore the TallChief Theatre in Fairfax. He created an exhibit, now seen by thousands from around the world, about the events leading up to the murders of Osages in the 1920s. 
Conner is survived by his wife, Carol; in-laws Luella and Monte Nabors, and Ray and Rose Nice; his nieces and nephews and his cousins.

This notice provided courtesy of the Oklahoma Newspaper Foundation
3601 N. Lincoln Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK 73105-5499