Constance "Connie" Elaine Capp

Connie Capp was a woman who faced many challenges in her life, yet enjoyed so many triumphs. She was a thoughtful, considerate woman, who knew that lifes most prized possession is a family and a home to call your own. Connie was a loving mother, grandmother and friend, whose home was always where her heart was, surrounded by the family she loved most of all. Connies story began on a cool fall day in 1931, in the shoreline city of Muskegon, Michigan. Those were dire days in this country, which was caught in the teeth of the Great Depression. On October 10, 1931, Carolyn Burghduf celebrated the birth of a baby girl, a daughter she named Constance Elaine. Connies father was named William Buretta, who played sax in a band. Her parents split before she was born, and she never met her father. Her childhood wasnt easy as a result, and she and her mother moved from foster home to foster home. Connie attended 14 different schools because of all the moving. When she was a young woman, Connie began writing letters to soldiers fighting in Korea, which was such a common thing in those days. She became a pen pal with a young sailor named William Capp, and a romance bloomed between those handwritten letters. They sent each other photos, but never met until William took leave to marry his beloved pen pal! The couple married in 1953, enjoying a beautiful honeymoon, before William shipped back out to Japan, where he was stationed. Nine months later, they became parents, with the birth of their son William. Connie had returned to Muskegon to await her husbands arrival, living in a small travel trailer she decorated to feel like home. When her husband returned, they added their son Timothy and daughter Cathy Jo to the family. Though they never had much, they always had enough, and they had each other, which was most important to Connie. Connie was a genius at stretching a dollar, and she could make a great meal out of thin air. She and William made sure their children never felt poor, and Connie stressed education to them. Connie and her husband divorced in 1980, after 27 years together, but she remained exceptionally close with her kids. She also had many beloved pets to keep her company, from her white German shepherd, Spud, to Jessie James, the cat. She also enjoyed watching cooking shows, or doing puzzles and playing solitaire. Connie loved music, everything from Bob Seger, to the Beatles and Tom Jones, too. She also loved to dance, and when she got older, she was content to dance from her chair! As Connies heath failed, her son Bill and daughter-in-law Sue, along with their family, began to take care of her. Sue was the primary caretaker, yet Sue also developed some health challenges, so they took care of each other. A very close bond was made between them. Connies spirits were always boosted by her beloved grandchildren, who always brightened her days. She planned ahead for birthdays and other events, always sending cards. Right before she died, her great-granddaughters birthday was coming, so she placed some money in a card and set it aside a great lasting memory from a wonderful, loving lady. Sadly, Connie died on March 22, 2008, at the age of 76. Connie was a wonderful woman, who devoted her life to caring for her family. She faced many challenges in her lifetime, yet enjoyed so many triumphs. She was a loving mother and grandmother, whose home was always where her heart was, a heart she shared with all those around her. She will be greatly missed.