Connie Cicero (Fernandes), born May 18, 1950, in Terceira, Azores, passed away on September 17, 2026, in Nevada, surrounded by the love of those who cherished her.
Connie was the daughter of Antonio and Evangelina Fernandes. She married the love of her life, Edward F. Cicero, in Oakdale, California, and together they built a life filled with family, love, memories, and adventures.
She was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, Dede, and friend, but those words alone could never fully describe the place she held in the hearts of those who loved her.
The love she shared with her husband, Ed, was something truly special—a life built together through countless moments, adventures, memories, laughter, and love. Her family was at the very center of who she was and was precious to her. She loved deeply, fiercely, and wholeheartedly, and she made sure those she loved knew it, not simply through words, but through the way she lived and loved them every day.
She understood that life was a gift, and she did not take a single day of it for granted. She truly lived. She traveled the world, experienced beautiful places, made unforgettable memories, and, most importantly, shared those experiences with the people she loved. She knew that a beautiful life was not measured simply by the number of years we are given, but by how deeply we love, how fully we live, and what we leave behind in the hearts of others.
She had a love for all things beautiful and sparkly, which was only fitting because she brought so much beauty and light wherever she went. As beautiful as she was on the outside, she was even more beautiful on the inside. She had the most loving and generous heart and a way of making people feel seen, cared for, and deeply loved. That gift allowed her to touch so many lives in ways that were profound and lasting. To know her was to know what it felt like to be genuinely loved.
Connie is survived by her loving husband, Edward F. Cicero of Mesquite, Nevada; her three children, Edward F. Cicero III and his spouse, Alex Cicero, of Hughson, California; Joseph W. Cicero and his spouse, Amber Cicero, of Atwater, California; and Laura Cicero of Austin, Texas.
She is also survived by her grandchildren, Mackenzie Sorey of Ashland, Wisconsin; Madeline and Ryan Cicero of Leander, Texas; Isabella Cicero of Turlock, California; Harper Cicero of Hughson, California; and Lucas Cicero of Atwater, California; as well as her great-grandchildren, Liam and Aiden Sorey.
Connie is also survived by her sisters, Fernanda Aguiar of Pace, Florida, and Maria Taylor of Gulf Breeze, Florida; and her brother, Valdemar Fernandes of Gulf Breeze, Florida.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Antonio and Evangelina Fernandes, and her brother, Joseph H. Fernandes.
She leaves behind far more than memories. She leaves pieces of herself in every person she loved, every life she touched, every beautiful place where a memory was made, and every story that will continue to be told about her.
While those who loved her would give anything for more time, there is comfort in knowing that she did not waste the time she was given. She lived her life. She saw the world. She loved her family. She found beauty. She made memories. She laughed, traveled, celebrated, and loved with her whole heart.
Her life was beautiful because she made it beautiful—and the love she gave so freely will continue to live on in all of us.
And although saying goodbye brings a sorrow that words cannot fully express, our faith reminds us that this goodbye is not forever. We find comfort in knowing that she is now in the presence of the Lord, where there is no more pain, no more suffering, and no more tears. One day, by the grace and promise of Jesus Christ, we believe we will see her again.
Until that day, we will carry her with us—in our stories, in our laughter, in the beautiful places she taught us to appreciate, in every little sparkle that reminds us of her, and in the love she planted so deeply within each of our hearts.
She was deeply loved, she will be profoundly missed, and she will never be forgotten.
Until we meet again in Heaven.
