Connie Sue Head

When Connie Sue Head walked into the room, those in her company felt energy, an enthusiastic spontaneity. This was just one example of who Connie was and how she impacted those around her. Connie was a clever and gregarious person who always sought out the finest attributes in other people. It was as if Connie wanted to share all of their experiences, revel in their lives and celebrate their discoveries. Connie was tireless and had boundless enthusiasm that would serve her well throughout her life.      Connie was born on November 5, 1960, at Mercy General Hospital in Sacramento, California. She was the daughter of Mary Jones and Sonny Leonard. Connie was raised in California and Missouri. Always at the ready with a good joke, she grew up to be quite a humorous person. While some who knew Connie might describe her as an idealist, her friends and family understood well that Connie was always in pursuit of life’s endless possibilities and opportunities available to her.      Connie was raised with 3 sisters and 1 brother. She had an older brother Mike and 3 older sisters Sherry, Vicki and Jerri. Connie was very accepting and supportive of her family. She was perceived as the central person in her family in terms of keeping communication open between the family members. Whenever discord or tension arose within the home, Connie was typically the member who brought about resolution and harmony. These traits served Connie well in her adult life and, along with her wit, outgoing personality, and understanding of others, drew the admiration of many who knew her.      As a young girl, Connie was able to empathize and identify with a vast array of people and personality types. This quality drew her into a diverse group of friends and acquaintances. Connie was intelligent and had little trouble getting along with her peers. She was almost always the first to jump in when it came to playing games or participating in other childhood activities. As a young girl, Connie enjoyed being a Girl Scout. In her spare time she liked reading. It seemed Connie always had a book in her hand! Connie's always took pride in being a good student. Connie had the ability to find amusement with almost any activity she and the many childhood friends she shared might discover.      During her high school years, Connie responded enthusiastically to any new project and was regularly in search of one adventure after another. She graduated from Rio Linda High School in 1978. Connie was a very good student, and generally did well in her courses. Connie absorbed as much as she could from all of her teachers and was consistently able to tackle conceptual and abstract problems, using her imagination to master her assignments. For Connie, school often became just an extension of playtime, thanks to her ability to turn just about anything into a game. Classmates considered Connie a good listener, knowing that when necessary, they could go to her to discuss just about anything. Her favorite classes in high school were English and Creative Writing. Connie was also on the Student Council and Honor Roll. As she grew into adulthood, Connie enjoyed doing Crossword Puzzles.      Connie did well in college, as a result of her comfort level with tackling new theories and her love of learning. She earned her Bachelor and A. A. in Nursing. Connie was Valedictorian of her graduating college class. Connie was very adaptable, a quality that helped her make the transition from high school to college with little difficulty. As a result, Connie's problem solving skills and thirst for new knowledge almost guaranteed that she enjoyed virtually every class she took. Connie was always in quest of new things to learn and experience      With a talent for making acquaintances easily which in turn brought her an endless stream of friends, Connie was very sociable and could blend without effort into any social group. Assertive and outgoing, Connie was easy to know and demonstrated a deep concern for others. She always seemed aware of what was going on with people around her and throughout her life she made many, many friends. While growing up, her best friend was Cindy. Later in life, she became friends with Penny, Mary and Lynn.      On October 1, 1982, Connie married Thomas Lee Head at McClellan AFB Chapel of Sacramento, CA. Connie's skill at “building bridges” played an important role in her ability to make her new family happy. Connie was tenderhearted and sensitive, qualities that served her well in helping to nurture her family.      Connie was a natural and creative parent who was willing to provide her family with all sorts of new and interesting experiences. For Connie, parenting was a particularly enjoyable and pleasurable part of her life. Every activity, from chores to bedtime routines, became a game in the Head home. Connie's skill at understanding her children's feelings, her sensitivity to their needs, and her gift for gentle persuasion enabled her to find novel solutions to any problem or situation that might crop up. Connie was blessed with 2 children: 2 daughter's, Kristin & Jessica. She was also blessed with 1 Grandson, Conner Lee.      Connie was uplifted by new ideas and was excited by life’s possibilities, traits that made her an exceptional worker. Her primary occupation was Nursing in Pediatric ICU. Connie was enterprising, inventive and working against deadlines seemed to energize her. Connie had the uncanny ability to identify a win/win solution to just about any problem, possibly because of her gift for insight. Connie's fellow workers saw her as a supporter and a mentor. Though she never did anything solely for individual recognition, Connie's ingenuity, resourcefulness, and selflessness, earned her accolades for her many lifelong efforts. Her most prestigious award was Hero's In Health Care.      Connie's love of improvising in her daily life was a perfect fit for her enjoyment of traveling. Her favorite vacations were ones that were not planned. Traveling in a casual manor fit her personality well. Excited about seeing changing scenery and constantly looking for the enjoyment life could offer, Connie took her vacations seriously, well, as seriously as she possibly could. Favorite vacations included going to any beach with the family.      Connie was a lover of animals and cherished her pets. Connie favorite pets were a Yorkie, Louie and a Terrier, Riley. Louie was her faithful companion for 3 years and Riley 2 years. Her family was rounded out by her 2 birds and a tank of tropical fish.      When Connie's retirement finally came in 1995, Connie handled it the way she usually did. She adapted and, like everything in her life, made it satisfying. Because she was such a flexible person and able to adjust to any situation, retirement was just another enjoyable change of pace for Connie to master. Even in retirement, Connie continued to stay in touch with her old friends and like always, made plenty of new ones.      Connie Head passed away on December 12, 2009, at home, in Raymore, Missouri. Connie fought a brave battle with Osteogenesis Imperfecta and other medical complications. She is survived by her daughters Kristin & Jessica; her grandson Conner; her sisters Sherry, Vicki & Jerri; her mother Mary Jones; her father Sonny Leonard. Services were held at McGilley & George Funeral Home in Belton, Missouri.      There was always a certain style and inventiveness to Connie. She was a dynamic, self-expressive person who was forever looking to celebrate the endless possibilities life had to offer. She had a knack for being clever, creative and witty, and for others, was a joy to be around. While she was often fiercely independent, it seemed as if many others looked to Connie Head for inspiration, leadership, wisdom and even courage. Connie was always more than willing to share life’s experiences with her loved ones.