Constance (Connie) Sue Pester, 78, passed away the evening of October 31, 2026. The third of four children born to Lawrence and Dorothy (née Brown) Zimmer in Dayton, Ohio, Connie was a lifelong Daytonian. She graduated from Chaminade-Julienne High School (Class of 1966) and received an Associate’s Degree in Business from the University of Dayton. She worked as an Administrative Analyst for NCR for many years and then at Extra Help Staffing Services. In her retirement she also worked part-time at the Washington-Centerville Public Library.
Connie married Stephen (Steve) Pester in 1971 at her childhood parish of St. Anthony Catholic Church in east Dayton. She and Steve were long-time residents of Oakwood where they lived with their son, Andrew (b. 1982), and beloved basset hounds (Beau and Brandon) before moving to Washington Township in 2002 where she joined Incarnation Catholic Church.
Connie had a curious mind and a lifelong appreciation for learning, enjoying the Lifelong Learning programs at the University of Dayton and exploring the vast offerings of the Great Courses online catalog. She also loved opportunities to be creative, whether through gardening or various crafts, including basket weaving and quilting. As a member of a musical family, she especially enjoyed playing in handbell choirs. During her time in Oakwood, she was an active member of St. Albert’s Catholic Church, where she served as a Eucharistic Minister and played in the handbell choir. Most recently, she shared her love of bells by ringing with the choir at Central Christian Church in Kettering.
Connie’s family and friends were her greatest joy. She loved her vacations with her extended family; their regular trips to the beach brought her such delight as did any time spent with her loved ones. If not at the beach, she loved the opportunity to explore a small town or village and any unique shops or points of interest that she could find. Connie was particularly close to her aunt, Sr. Corrine Brown, a sister in the Order of St. Francis and enjoyed many visits to the Motherhouse of the order in Oldenburg, IN. Beyond her human family, she loved animals, especially dogs and the countless birds that gathered at her backyard feeders.
Connie is preceded in death by her parents and younger sister, Bonnie. She is survived by her husband of fifty-five years, Steve, son Andrew and his wife, Lauren, and two older siblings, Larry Zimmer and his wife Margaret, and Nancy Zang, along with many cousins, nieces, and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts are greatly appreciated and may be made to the Sisters of St. Francis in Oldenburg, IN. Please visit www.oldenburgfranciscans.org/ways-to-support/make-a-donation/ and be sure to click “Dedicate this Gift”
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Church of the Incarnation, 7415 Far Hills Ave, Centerville, Ohio 45459, on November 17, 2026, at 1:00 pm. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery, 1625 Calvary Drive, Dayton, Ohio 45409, on November 17, 2026, at 2:15 pm.
