Camp Zoe Memories
Painter Conway
Painter Conway was the chief ranch hand, trail boss, and caretaker of Camp Zoe from 1939 until his death in 1963. He may have met the McMahan family while building roads and bridges in Shannon County as part of the Works Progress Administration during the depression.
Emery Allen Conway was born on January 11th, 1915. During his childhood in the Ozark mountains, a local hunter and trapper named Joe stopped by the Conway homestead for a meal during his occasional forest expeditions. In the early days of the 20th century it was not uncommon for panthers to be seen in the Missouri outback. Panther Joe was the picture of the Ozark frontiersman, complete with facial hair and voracious appetite. When he dined with the Conway family, part of his meal ended up in his beard. Likewise, little Emery's table manners were similar and over time the family took to calling him Panther because of it. As the years went by, Panther became Painter and the nickname remained with him the rest of his life.
Painter married Gladys Irene Rivers on April 30, 1934. Painter and Gladys had five children: Leland, Wesley, Alva, Gay, and Robert. The Conway family stayed in Boys cabin during the early years of Camp Zoe (during the off-season) and later moved to the Cooks cabin. The picture on the left was taken at the old shelter in the early 1950s. Gladys died of cancer on December 17, 1964.
Painter led campers on trail rides along Sinkin' Creek and the surrounding countryside and cautioned campers to be on the lookout for Indian bones. The trail riders found such bones in a tree stump near the path. In reality they were animal bones Painter planted there for effect. But this story illustrates Painter's efforts to create atmosphere and without a doubt he is remembered as the camp's most colorful character. Another story had him bottling up the liquid that ran along the grounds of the stables and sending it home with campers as moonshine!
Camper Kent Jones remembers: One day back as a camper in 1963, Painter took the advanced horseback group for a ride. He never stuck to the trails and always had a Winchester lever action rifle in a leather saber lashed to his saddle. Out of nowhere he put the spurs to his horse and pulled his rfle and on a dead run shot a fox he had spotted. He was quite the guy.
Painter's favorite horse may have been the dancing horse known as Smokey, but his real claim to fame came as a mule rider. Painter also liked to square dance.
Painter Conway died of a heart attack on November 18th, 1963 and a colorful era in camp history ended forever. More people inquire about Painter Conway than any other Camp Zoe personality. Thanks to Painter's son Alva and grandson Steve for the stories and photos used on this page.