Contance Lee (Newcomer) Griffith

Constance Lee Griffith, beloved wife, mother and mother-in-law, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend, died November 5, 2023 at age 98.

Connie was born on November 25, 1924, in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Her parents, Anna and Delbert Newcomer, died when she was young and she was then raised by her older brother and sister. She attended Kalamazoo College, where she graduated in 1947. While there, she shared the Hodge Prize in Philosophy with Donald Griffith. After time, a romance ensued and she and Don married in 1949. They were happily married for 72 years until Don died in 2022.

After marriage, Connie supported Don by working as a telephone operator while Don went to medical school. They had two children and moved to Eau Claire in 1957 when Don started his career as a doctor. Connie was a stay-at-home mother and was active in volunteer organizations. She served as the president of the American Association of University Women; the president of the Women's Auxiliary to the Eau Claire, Dunn and Pepin Medical Society; and as a board member of the YMCA, University of Wisconsin Foundation, and United Church of Christ. She was active in the League of Women Voters for many years and also was a member of a chapter of the Philanthropic Educational Organization, serving as president from 1993-1995. Connie spent a number of years working as a bailiff for Eau Claire County, a job that she thoroughly enjoyed.

Connie was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Victor; sister, Illif; son, Curt and her husband, Don. She is survived by her daughter, Pam Griffith (Jim Alexander); her granddaughters, Nancy Alexander (Arran Robertson), Becky Alexander (Bret Jackson), Kate Alexander and Maggie Alexander (Kevin Hallman); and great-grandchildren, Max, Harper, and Isla.

Connie had a long, full, and happy life. She enjoyed reading and decorating her home and loved observing things - people, nature, and great-grandchildren in particular. Even into her 90s, she was a whiz at cards and almost always won family card games. One of her granddaughters' favorite stories about Connie came during a particularly vicious presidential campaign. In response to her husband's musings that there was nothing in his long life that he would be embarrassed by were he to run for public office, she replied: "That's pathetic." She will be remembered and missed.

Lenmark-Gomsrud-Linn Funeral & Cremation Services, Eau Claire is assisting the family. Online condolences may be shared at www.lenmarkfh.com.
 

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.