Connie Weaver Holmes was born August 11, 1934, in Springfield, TN to James and Christine Weaver. With her older sister, Shirley, she grew up in that small town and married her schoolmate, Clyde Holmes on Dec 20, 1953. The couple first lived in Knoxville where Clyde was a dairy science student at UT, and later settled there as Clyde became Manager of UT's Dairy Farm. They lived on the UT Farm from 1962 until 1999, and Connie became known as "the Cow Lady" for hosting epic Easter Egg hunts at the farm. Their home was full of kids, friends, her sewing clients, and even out-of-gas motorists.
Connie worked as a florist, bookkeeper, and credit manager at Crouch Florist, Consumer Supply, and Josten's Jewelers. A talented seamstress, she crafted and sold Barbie clothes to pay for a family trip to the 1965 World's Fair in New York City, and made hundreds of UT-themed masks during the COVID pandemic.
She loved to share meals with family and friends, and prepared feasts for University farm employees who had to work on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Her sourdough bread was renowned as were her meringue pies. Connie enjoyed her network of friends, which included bridge groups, book clubs, a garden club, and the service cub, Omni. Newcomers often said Connie was the first person to welcome them to the neighborhood. Her home was open to everyone and filled with the flowers she loved.
Connie is survived by Clyde, her husband of sixty-seven years; sons General (USAF, ret) Mike Holmes (wife Sara) and Dr. Pat Holmes (wife Jill Holmes, DVM); and her nieces, Debbie New (husband Ed) and Melissa Milton (husband Michael), who she treated as her own. Her family has grown to include grandchildren Jeb Holmes, Jessie Holmes, Rebecca Holmes Sandoval (husband Benigno), Wade Holmes (wife Leah, and great-granddaughters Emma, Abigail, and Rose), Nichols Bender (wife Megan, son Caleb), Manning Milton Borden (husband John, children Mack and Margo), Mary Claire Milton, and McCabe Milton.
To them, Connie was known as 'Nanu,' and according to Rebecca, 'Nanu could get anything you needed to you at anyplace in the world in as quick a time as you needed.' Rebecca was born in Japan, but her feet first touched Tennessee dirt Connie smuggled through customs, proving the point. Connie loved celebrating with her family, never failing to mail a homemade card, sew a costume, or throw a themed party for birthdays, holidays, recitals, and graduations.
Connie was a member of Lake Hills Presbyterian Church, where she sang in the choir for over fifty years, was an active member of her Sunday School Class, and ministered to many through meals, clothes, or "just being there."
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