Guide to the Lynn Conrad Collection
Scope and Content
The Lynn Conrad Papers documents Conrad’s life in Cheyenne and her work with the Survivors of Suicide group. The collection holds various items from the short life of Lynn’s deceased son, Patrick Conrad (1970-1987). These items consist of candid and school photographs, awards, crafts, clothing, and scrapbooks. The collection also contains records from the Survivors of Suicide group including group handouts, photocopied resources on suicide, correspondence, and photographs and other ephemera from Lynn’s travels for the group. The digital components in the collection include 3 ½ x 5 floppy disks, CD-R and DVD-R disks. The digital documentation includes- correspondence, a local television news interview, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) informational digital book, American with Disabilities Act (ADA) legislative statues, personal files that comprise of homeopathic remedies, personal pet documentation, and recipes. Other sources include restricted access for clientele names, contact information and descriptions of suicided incidents. A sub-series within the collection contains Lynn’s genealogical research on her family including hand-written notes, correspondence from relatives, photographs, photocopies from various online resources, and newspaper clippings.
Dates
- 1970/2020
Language of Materials
English
Access Restrictions
The collection is open for research.
Copy Restrictions
Limited duplication of print materials allowed for research purposes. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
Historical Note
Lynn Conrad started the Survivors of Suicide (SOS) group in Cheyenne, Wyoming in 1989 following the loss of her son, Patrick, to suicide in 1987. Lynn started the SOS group because she found that speaking of her experiences helped others feel like they weren’t alone and also helped her to finally process Patrick’s death. Lynn spent the next 30 years managing the support group, speaking out on the stigma of suicide, and helping those with their experiences. Lynn became a vital cog within the community of Cheyenne and beyond for suicide awareness and therapy. Lynn traveled the nation speaking at various conventions and group settings about her story and how she was able to cope with the loss of her child. The group was shut down in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and is now no longer in operation. In her later years, Lynn found an interest in her family genealogy. She used both local and internet resources to follow several lines of her family ancestry. In a pursuit to find out more about her family, she traveled to several locations to visit graves and other family related locations.
Extent
1 Volume
Abstract
The Lynn Conrad Papers contains documentation from the local Cheyenne woman who started the Survivors of Suicide group. These items include photocopies, photographs, books, handwritten notes, correspondence, scrapbooks, and newspaper clippings. The topics covered are suicide, the Survivors of Suicide group, the life and death of Patrick Conrad, and Conrad’s family ancestry.
Arrangement
Organized by record type. See container list for more information. Item level inventory available on-site.
Acquisition Information
Donated by Lynn Conrad
Existence and Location of Originals
Original records available at the Wyoming State Archives unless otherwise noted in the container list.
Alternate Formats Available
Selected records may be available on microfilm or digital. See container list for more information.
Separated Material
Five 3-D artifacts from the Patrick Conrad series are at the Wyoming State Museum for consideration into their collection. These items include a Tee shirt, a pair of baby shoes, a lock of Patrick Conrad's hair, a fabic name pin and a doll bonnet.
Processing Information
Finding aid prepared in 2024 by Carman Brinker
- Title
- Guide to the Lynn Conrad Collection, 1970-2020
- Status
- Edited Full Draft
- Author
- Carman Brinker, intern
- Date
- 2024
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is in English
Repository Details
Part of the Wyoming State Archives, Wyoming Cultural Resources Division, Wyoming Department of State Parks & Cultural Resources Repository
Barrett Building
2301 Central Avenue
Cheyenne Wyoming 82002 United States
(307) 777-7826
wyarchive@wyo.gov
