Connie Marie Harden

Connie Marie Graham Harden, of Annandale, Virginia, died June 14, 2025, aged 89. Born and raised on an orange grove in Seville, Fla., as valedictorian of her high school class she won a scholarship to Stetson University, Deland, Fla., where she earned a business degree.

As a successful advertising copy-writer in Jacksonville, Fla., she met British journalist Patrick Harden whom she married on Nov. 2, 1963. Pat's assignments took the family from the U.S. Southern States to England, The Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Detroit, then to three cities in Canada (Montreal, Toronto, Edmonton). In 1992 they settled in Annandale, Va.

Connie’s vibrant and friendly personality made her life-long friends in all the places the family lived. She also acquired an appreciation for chocolate, cheeses, ice hockey, the theater, and art, the latter prompting her to teach a school course in art history. Her children also remember Mom dragging them to every art museum. In recent years, she was an active member of the Camelot Garden Club. Connie was an excellent cook, and all enjoyed her chocolate cakes, roast beef, devilled eggs, and Baked Alaska. She loved to host, to visit, and to spend time with her family and friends.

Connie had a wonderful sense of humour, and faced all challenges with the mantra, “let me have a cup of tea, and then we’ll go”.

Connie was pre-deceased by her parents, Alex and Marie Graham, and by her sister, Sally Ann Willis. In addition to her husband of 62 years,, she is mourned by her son, Marc, daughter-in-law Wendy Weir and grandson, Cameron, all of Edmonton, AB; by her daughter, Ceri, son-in law Wiktor Chwieros, and their sons, Dominic and Daniel, all of Calgary AB; nephews Scott and Chris Willis and their families in Seville, Fla., Dutch friend, Mieke Etman, of Zwolle, The Netherlands, and the Harden families in England and Australia.

Connie's family wishes to thank the neighbors and friends who have been so supportive at this sad and difficult time.