- Welcome to Daley Life Celebration Studio, where we Celebrate the Color of Life.
Constance Thomas
Connie came from a farming family and she never lost her down home ways. The Steward family farmed a swath of land from the Turnpike to Lake Narraticon and the Raccoon Creek. As a young girl she roamed the property on her horse and buggy. She was named Ms. Swedesboro by the local Grange; of course, she never let it get to her head. She may not have been the greatest cook but she could open a can of SpaghettiOs with the best of them. And she made a great grilled cheese. She loved a good joke; of course, mom-mom jokes were notable for the fact that she seldom remembered the punch line. But in the moment, she was quick witted, always lying in wait with one of her one liners and maybe a borderline inappropriate comment to make sure everyone was paying attention. When the grands would ask her to play outside, she’d say she couldn’t due to the fact that she had bones in her legs. Summertime was her thing: when school let out she’d be packed and ready to go, taking the family down to her place in Pots Nets DE. She loved Elvis, chocolate, Coke and card games. “Kids, watch her, she cheats.” her late husband often jokingly counseled. “I don’t cheat!!” she’d fire back. Connie found her real calling later in life as a grandmother. Mom-mom not just to her grandchildren but to all their friends as well. In fact, they all called her mom-mom. She never missed a little league game, motivated half by her love of the grandkids, and half by her love of sport. Connie listened to sports radio and cheered for the Philly teams.
She fell for a handsome boy, the late Wilbert “Bud” in high school. Her mother hardly approved; she’d turn the lights off when she saw his car coming down the street. But love being what it is, they pressed on and shared a 50-year marriage blessed by 4 children, Wilbert III “Bud”, Kathleen Rode (Bill), Lawrence and Chris (Abby); and later by 10 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Come celebrate 83 great years Sunday March 6, 5-7 p.m. and Monday 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Daley Life Celebration Studio, Swedesboro, where there will be a service at 11. Interment Lake Park Cemetery, Woolwich
6 Comments
Aunt Connie was my aunt in every way except blood. I will love her always. I do think she cheated at cards though. Hahahahaha
Connie and I had a good visit in November when Jay and I stopped by on our way back to Massachusetts after attending our Great nephew’s wedding in Pennsylvania. Age had not changed her witty comments or sense of humor. Her son-in-law, Bill, was present also. We brought each other up to date on our families. She recounted how happy she was to have all of her family living so close to her and she took great delight in talking about her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She also talked a lot about her husband, Bud. It was fun rehashing some growing up stories with her. I sang for her wedding in ’59 with my mom playing at the Methodist Church in Swedesboro
I am so glad we got this happy visit in so close to the time when she started her life-threatening problems. Jay and I send our love and kind wishes to all of Connie’s family as you celebrate her life and say your goodbyes to a very lively senior and loved life with her family to the end. Psalm 23
We cannot be present physically but we are with you mentally and you will all be in our thoughts.
Cousin Bev Steward Wordsworth and husband, Jay
We stopped to visit with Cousin Connie in November of 2021 on our way back to Massachusetts after coming back from Jay’s nephew’s wedding in Pennsylvania. We had a good visit updating each other on our families. Her son-in-law, Bill, was there also.
It was obvious she took great pride in her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She had still kept her witty remarks and sense of humor. It was wonderful having this short time together before her serious medical problems started. We were recalling how her pony had eaten my Dad’s cigarettes instead of taking the carrot her dad, Larry, had given me to give the pony. Mom played and I sang at Bud and Connie’s wedding in 1959.
Although we cannot be at Connie’s celebration service, please know our thoughts are with all of Connie’s family at this time–she lived a long, blessed life. Psalm 23
Connie was my cousin. She was one year older than me. Her mother was my father’s sister. She would often come down to the Crispin homestead where both our grandmother and my family lived. When my brother and I heard she was coming we got really excited because we know we were in for a good time. Our mother would say to us, “Connie is coming and you are NOT to go to the dump.”
And then, there would be Connie, supposedly visiting our grandmother in her home just up the road on the farm, but, of course, coming down to the farmhouse where my brother and I lived to play with us. And she would say, “Let’s go to the dump!” All our mother’s warnings were useless. Off to the dump we would go. Connie was good at exploring, checking out the insides of discarded light bulbs, etc. She was lots of fun.
When Connie was little she took tap dancing lessons. She was really good. When she was scheduled to preform, everyone who heard about it made sure to come to see her. She could do handstands in her performance and not miss a beat with her dancing. Her mother made her fabulous costumes. Connie had real talent. She was South Jersey’s Shirley Temple. I remember her dancing in the auditorium in the Harrisonville school before it burnt down the summer of 1947. The auditorium was packed with people who had come to see her dance.
Her mother doted on her, making her wonderful doll clothes. I remember when Connie was asked to the prom, her mother sewed sequins on her prom dress to make it really beautiful. When Connie went off to business school she took with her a wonderful wardrobe. If I remember right, I think she was voted the best dressed on campus.
Sometimes I would be given her hand-me-downs. Her clothes were really nice. But I grew taller than Connie, so pretty soon there were no more hand-me-downs for me.
Connie’s father truly loved her. They would listen, and later, when TV was developed, watch the baseball games together. Connie was always interested in the scores because her father had taught her the game.
Connie really loved her husband. I remember their being at a party that I attended. From freshman year on through high school, Bud Thomas was IT.
Connie was very sensitive to others’ feelings. She was a very kind person. I’m very sorry I learned so late about her illness, for if I had known, I would have visited her in the hospital.
Laurel (S. Crispin) Hoffmann
I remember lots of chocolate chip cookies baked in a small kitchen. I remember 3AM Christmas mornings at Bud and Connie’s house. I remember swimming and picnics at Swedesboro Lake. I remember “doing the books” at her Mother’ and Dad’s house for Stewart’s Flower Mart. I remember loading up “Strawberry Patch”, they were on their way to another horse show. I remember the TV being tuned to baseball games and ice hockey games. I remember Connie and Uncle Stew giving us Judy the pony which we rode for many years I remember the clothes washer and the clothes dryer running 24/7, and there was always a basket of clothes to fold. THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES
Fortunately, I had a very good visit with Connie and son-in-law, Bill, at their home (the first week of December) on our way back to Massachusetts from our nephew’s wedding in Pennsylvania in late November. Connie still displayed her quick wit and humor on a variety of issues we discussed. It was fun catching up on each other’s families. Her family had certainly expanded over the years and she took great delight in sharing her stories about them and their activities.
I had not seen Cousin Connie in person since pre-Covid. We shared some growing-up stories, one of which was when her pony ate my dad’s cigarettes when we were visiting when I was only in grade school. I sang for her and Bud’s wedding at the Swedesboro Methodist Church in 1959 and my mother, Ida Steward, played the organ (also the same church where Ida met my Dad, John)
Please know that your New England cousins are thinking of you allat this time as you remember a very spirited lady who remained young-at-heart in her senior years.