Mary M. Conner, and her daughters, Ellen Lepp, Patricia Fittro & Caroline Funk, established the Dwight O. Conner Memorial Fund at Our Community's Foundation in 1986 to memorialize Mrs. Conner's husband, Dwight O. Conner. Mr. Conner served as the principal of Parkersburg High School for 24 years. The scholarship created from this fund is offered to a student from Parkersburg High School. Recipients are selected by the Foundation on the basis of the student's financial need to continue his or her educational pursuits. Recipients must be accepted to a college, university, vocational school or other post-high school educational institution.

As Carolyn Funk notes, "Following my father's death in 1986, I, my mother and my two sisters, Ellen Conner Lepp and Patricia Conner Fittro sat down and composed the guidelines for the Dwight Conner Memorial Fund. We also sought and received advice from our good friend Charlie Casto. When my sister, Ellen Conner Lepp passed away of Alzheimer's Disease in 1995, we added her name to the memorial fund. She was also a lifelong educator and counselor, living for most of her adult life in Redlands, California. She was a graduate of Stephens College and Duke University. My father, Dwight Conner was a graduate of Ohio University and Ohio State University. He was born in Hiramsburg, Ohio, and began his West Virginia educational career as principal at Neale School in Vienna, then moving to Parkersburg High School where he remained as principal for 24 years, retiring in 1959. He was known as the "Father of Gymnastics" in West Virginia circles, having brought the first comprehensive classes to the new Field House in 1951. He was very active in the Rotary Club - doing a complete history for them."

Born in Frederick, Maryland, Mary M. Conner was the daughter of the late Clarence and Gabriella Schroeder. During the early years of her life, she resided in Grafton, West Virginia, and graduated from Leland Powers School of the Spoken Word in Boston, Massachusetts. She resided in Parkersburg for over fifty years, and traveled with the tent shows of Redpath Chatauqua as a dancer and musician. Mrs. Conner was recognized for her sewing abilities, winning several awards, as well as dressing dolls annually for the Salvation Army Christmas Projects.

Mrs. Conner was a past President of Parkersburg Woman's Club and was active in Girl Scouts, the Parkersburg Garden Club, and PEO. Mrs. Conner was a lifelong member of the First United Presbyterian Church, Parkersburg, where she was a member of the Priscilla Circle and the church choir.

In 2008, the former Danhart Trust, previously managed by United Bank, was transferred to Our Community's Foundation and merged with the Dwight O. Conner and Ellen Conner Lepp Fund to provide additional support to Parkersburg High School graduating seniors.