Constance Violet Marie Howey (1932–2020)

Early Life and Childhood

Connie was born on 11 March 1932 at Hollybush Terrace in Wrexham. Her name carried family significance — “Constance” after the doctor, “Violet” after her mother, and “Marie” after the midwife. Known affectionately as “Connie,” she spent her early years in a cottage-style home before the family moved around frequently due to her mother’s love of country life and farming.

One of her earliest memories was walking to school with her long blonde ringlets when a dog suddenly grabbed hold of them, dragging her down the street. Her mother had to cut her hair short afterward, a vivid event Connie recalled all her life. She began school shyly but was soon restricted from outdoor play after developing rheumatic fever, which left her with a weak heart. Despite this, she remembered simple joys like hopscotch, school crafts, and her love for drawing, sewing, knitting, and painting — subjects where she excelled.

Wartime Childhood

Connie’s childhood was deeply shaped by the Second World War. She remembered crying so much to join her sister Joyce when evacuation began that she was eventually allowed to go. The sisters were separated on arrival — Connie sent to Old Colwyn and then Colwyn Bay — an upsetting experience for someone so young. Their mother eventually travelled to bring them home, meeting them at the train station, a moment Connie described with warmth as her mother “looked gorgeous, with lovely curly hair.”

Her family lived through the Liverpool Blitz, and she recalled visiting her grandfather’s house, which contained an air-raid shelter built beneath the table from wire mesh. She remembered sitting beneath it during raids, a frightening but strangely ordinary part of wartime life.

Growing Up and Family

Connie grew up as one of several children, and although the family wasn’t wealthy, she recalled laughter and closeness. She often helped at home, scrubbing rooms and doing dishes, preferring chores where she could work quietly on her own. Because her mother suffered from fits, Connie stayed home often to care for her, taking on responsibilities beyond her years.

She remembered her grandfather giving them toffees when they left his house and once being dressed in a blue bonnet and coat with matching leggings and shoes — a rare and cherished treat. She also remembered a cousin named David who was killed on the front line during the Second World War, a loss that left its mark on the family.

Young Adulthood and Romance

As a young woman, Connie was shy but sociable, and she enjoyed going to the cinema. She recalled her first boyfriend, Ronald (Ronnie) Hollingsworth, who lived just around the corner in Liverpool. He had courted her for some time before she agreed to date him, and their early outings consisted of “pictures, ice cream, and sweets.” They married at a church on Crown Street, Liverpool — a day she remembered for torrential rain, a too-large bridesmaid dress, and her dad walking too fast down the aisle. Despite the chaos, she described Ronnie as “the loveliest man you could think of — gentle, funny, and generous.”

Their marriage was filled with laughter. Connie believed the secret to a happy marriage was simple: “Being happy — life’s too short not to laugh.” Neighbours would often knock on the window and ask what they were laughing about this time.

Motherhood and Family Life

When Connie became pregnant with her child, she was both thrilled and disbelieving. Her mother-in-law had always said that dreaming of fish meant someone in the family was expecting — a family superstition that proved true. After being married for five years, she was overjoyed to finally have her son. Her proudest moment was bringing him home to a warm fire, cakes, and family waiting to greet them.

Family gatherings remained central throughout her life. She fondly recalled lively Christmas and New Year parties, often held at her house, where there was “no drink we didn’t have” and “brilliant times” were shared by all.

Later Marriages and Life Changes

Following the death of her husband, Ronnie, Connie and her son, moved to the new town of Runcorn, where she found a job at the nearby zip factory, YKK.

It was whilst working her that Connie met her second husband, Tom. They married in 1977, resulting in the family expanding to include two step-daughters, Phyllis and Linda, and their children.

Their relationship was practical and companionable, marked by quiet evenings and shared walks. Tom, passed away in 1990, at which point Connie turned to travel, enjoying many locations such as Tunisia with her friends.

It was while on holiday in Hayling Island that she met her third husband, They met during a “penny-a-pint” night — he asked her to dance and called her the next day, saying he hadn’t slept all night thinking of her. They married in 2009 at the village hall in Warrington. Connie described him as “very generous and good to everybody,” saying she couldn’t have found a kinder partner.

Reflections and Passing

Connie valued laughter and happiness above all else. She admired kindness and simplicity, believing that being a good mother and daughter were the most important things in life. She often said that if anyone thought of her, she hoped they’d remember her smiling — “because he said, if anyone liked me, it was because I laughed and smiled.”

Constance Violet Marie Whalley passed away on 20 April 2020, at Warrington Hospital, England, during the COVID-19 pandemic.