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Obit: '#1 Peasant' Conrad Bladey (?1952 - 2025)

20 Aug 25 - 06:02 AM (#4227402)
Subject: Obit:- '#1 Peasant' (?1952 - 2025)
From: Ross Campbell

It seems that "#1 Peasant" (Conrad Jay Bladey) last posted to Mudcat five years ago.
Sorry to report that he passed away in June 2025.

His daughter posted this today on Facebook -

"Hello 'friends' of Conrad.
This is his daughter. You know me as Margaret but I go by Stella now. Please use that name going forward. ??
I am making this post to say there will be one final 5th of November celebration at the house. If you search 'Remember, Remember Conrad Bladey's Fifth of November' you will find the event page with all details.
No alcohol will be provided unless it's his leftovers. Turkey in the ground and other customs TBD. If you want a specific tradition to happen, you might need to take charge of it yourself.
I will be in Maryland with my mother until 09/01 with access to this phone and Facebook. If you want to find my profile to contact me after that, I'm listed as Stella Christiana or find me via the event as the host.
Please do not use this post for condolences. Thank you."

Conrad Jay Bladey Obituary

Ross

20 Aug 25 - 10:23 AM (#4227411)
Subject: RE: Obit: '#1 Peasant' (?1952 - 2025)
From: Stilly River Sage

Text from the linked Legacy obituary:

72, of Linthicum, Maryland, USA, passed from this life on Monday, June 16, 2025. He leaves behind his wife of forty-four years, Mary M. Bladey (née Cornell); daughter Margaret C. and husband Elijah Diefenbach of Toledo, OH; younger sister Laura J. Waters of Davidsonville, MD; and younger brother Stephen A. of Middletown, MD.

Friends, family, and the community will remember Conrad as one of the most colorful, interesting, intelligent - yet exasperating - people they will likely ever know. He was an anthropologist, artist, writer, teacher, and performer. He was also that energetic six-foot tall, overall-wearing Santa-esque legend in his art car that we saw regularly on the streets of Baltimore. Conrad was living proof that artistic expression is most authentic when it surprises, delights, and awakens those who experience it. His scholarly expertise ranged widely, from Guy Fawkes and the history of bonfire societies in the early United States to early English folk music, through Irish culture, to the life of John Newton, writer of 'Amazing Grace'. It also included how to properly affix Barbie heads to a 1969 Pontiac.

Conrad's first brush with history was in London as a volunteer on a rescue dig of a Roman bath in 1967. His interest in the past was supported by his parents who, while living in London and Munich, led the family camping throughout Britain and the Continent at every opportunity. Conrad was educated at University of Maryland and Durham University (UK) with graduate work at University of Tennessee.

Wednesday, June 25, 2025. Visitation- 9:30-10:45, Gonce Funeral Service; Funeral Service- 11:30, Zion City of Baltimore Church; Graveside Service- 1:00, Loudon Park Cemetery. In lieu of flowers it is requested that you wear a funny hat in public and make people smile. Donations to The Michael J. Fox Foundation. www.michaeljfox.org

20 Aug 25 - 01:53 PM (#4227420)
Subject: RE: Obit: '#1 Peasant' (?1952 - 2025)
From: Felipa

Some of the obituary description is much as we might expect from reading Conrad Blady's posts on Mudcat. Is it really five years since he posted here? I suppose I've come across his comments more recently from opening old threads or reading old threads that others have revived. (as donations for the Michael J Fox Foundation are requested, I wonder if Conrad had Parkinsons, a condition which could explain the lack of more recent Mudcat posts from #1 Peasant)

Condolences to Conrad's friends and family.

21 Aug 25 - 11:13 AM (#4227446)
Subject: RE: Obit: '#1 Peasant' (?1952 - 2025)
From: GUEST,Howard Jones

"one of the most colorful, interesting, intelligent - yet exasperating - people they will likely ever know"

That is certainly my recollection of him on Mudcat, and I don't mean that in a bad way. I've missed his posts, and I'm sorry to hear he's gone. RIP

21 Aug 25 - 12:50 PM (#4227447)
Subject: RE: Obit: '#1 Peasant' Conrad Bladey(?1952 - 2025)
From: Robert B. Waltz

For what it's worth, Conrad continued to post (at least occasionally) on the Ballad-L mailing list until fairly recently, his most significant topic of conversation being, I think, Guy Fawkes.

I would certainly agree with the "colorful, interesting... yet exasperating" description. He had a few areas of special interest, on which he could be extremely enlightening or stubbornly wrong-headed -- and sometimes it was hard to tell which. We may have to give the question a few more years to settle.

21 Aug 25 - 04:34 PM (#4227455)
Subject: RE: Obit: '#1 Peasant' Conrad Bladey (?1952 - 2025)
From: Stilly River Sage

Tracking down Mr. Bladey through Mudcat was a multi-faceted project. He used several names and accounts over the years.

Conrad Bladey (Peasant- Inactive) (430)

*Conrad Bladey Peasant-Inactive (95)

*#1 PEASANT* (2039)

mrwassail (7)

Conrad Bladey cbladey@mail.bcpl.net (guest) (3)

another Conrad Bladey plus a different email (13)

Guest, Conrad Bladey (11) (last posted in 2022)