Connie Sue Messina

Connie Sue Messina, age 77, of Independence, Missouri passed away on Easter Sunday, April 12, 2020. Her mother, Thelma Almetha Cocker gave birth to her on February 25, 1943 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Raised by her grandparents William H. and Myrtle Cocker (nee Long).

Connie is survived by two daughters Debra Getting of Topeka, Kansas and Brenda Kay Ramsey of Raytown, Missouri. Grandmother of Kevin Getting of Overland, Kansas and Jamie Getting of Junction City, Kansas, and her two great-granddaughters Linaly and Nadia Anthony.

There will be a private visitation at Newcomer Noland Road Chapel, Independence, Missouri, on Wednesday, April 15, 2020 from 12:30pm ~ 1:30pm followed by a private Graveside Service at 2:00 pm at Mound Grove Cemetery for family only.

Connie had a very vibrant life; she raised four daughters with laughter and love through the years. Along with the birth of Debra and Brenda Kay, when she remarried June 4, 1966 to Howard Gene Immell (September 29, 1934 ~ March 17, 1990) she was also blessed to have two step-daughters, Jennifer Denise Jensen of Columbia, Missouri, and Melissa Ann Shoaf of Fulton, MO. Three step-grandchildren Brian Scott Soper, Christopher Dale Shoaf, and Angelina Rebecca Michelle Shoaf, and four step-great grandchildren, Brooke Mullen/Soper, Michael Shoaf, Travis Shoaf, and Allyea Shoaf.

After several years of being an empty nester, she met her late husband Donald Lee Messina (March 15, 1932 ~ November 12, 2018) they married March 1, 2001 in Florida. Connie and Don loved the life they had together in sunny Florida, although they yearned to be back in Missouri and moved back to their retirement home in Independence.

Connie’s career began when she was a teenager at Katz as a cashier and custom gift wrapper. She then moved to assembly work at Rival. While working at Rival she also took evening courses to become a key-punch operator. She then began work at Faultless Data Services, key-punching and promoted her way up to Supervisor. When the bottom fell out of the market for this type of work, she became a dispatcher for the City of Independence. She then completed a variety of administrative work at McIntosh Heating and Cooling. When Connie moved to Florida in the 90’s she stated working for Pinellas County Waste Water Treatment Plant. Then in March of 2009 she became an Office Specialist for Pinellas County Ambulance Services. Once she moved back to Missouri she worked as an IRS Tax Examination Clerk before retiring.

Connie was a proud member of the Cherokee Nation (Tahlequah, OK). Connie enjoyed and cared for a variety of exotic birds through her life. She thoroughly enjoyed flowers and being outside in the fresh air.

If Connie could be characterized by one word, it would be a “FIGHTER”. She fought her long battle of stage 4 lung cancer since November 2017. Rest in Peace.

The family will have a memorial and celebration of life ceremony at a later date when limitations for gatherings have been lifted. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Connie’s memory to the American Lung Cancer Association at https://www.lung.org/get-involved/ways-to-give.

Please share your favorite memory of Connie with the family in the online guestbook.