MARS - American Legion Post 787 in Mars recently honored Wayne Conley, the man they often refer to as Mr. American Legion. At a banquet March 6, he received a commemorative pin for 60 years of service.

Conley, 82, a founding member, has held just about every office at the post, said his wife, Emmy Conley. He is also a charter member of the Mars Veterans of Foreign Wars post.

Conley's longest-running appointment was post adjutant, which he held for 35 years. He also served Post 787 as commander in 1954 and served as American Legion County commander in 1963.

He is the post historian and keeps all the handwritten ledgers chronicling the activities of the post for more than half a century.

"He has all these books and papers, boxes and boxes of them. You name it, and he's got it," said Emmy Conley. When he served as Post 787's public relations chairman, Conley wrote numerous articles for local newspapers.

According to his son, Ross Conley, he has participated in the Memorial Day services for many years. "He read the names of the veterans who passed away."

"He kept track of them all year for the Memorial Day Service. Last year, he read them from a wheelchair," added Emmy Conley.

"I was recuperating from a stroke at Cranberry Place and the ambulance came to take me to the Memorial Day ceremony," Conley recalled.

Conley served in the Army during World War II in the European Theater and during the time of the Korean conflict.

American Legion Post 787 meets once a month in the Mars Veterans of Foreign Wars facility. Conley shares the honor of 60 years of service to the organization with charter members Harold McCandless of Mars and Floyd Johnston of Butler.

"He did about everything," said McCandless of Conley. "He kept the place going. He was always there." McCandless credits Conley with providing a great deal of help to the Mars baseball American Legion team.