Connie Jeanne Iiams Lewis

To everyone around Connie Jeanne Lewis, she seemed to be eternally happy, and she willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life she touched. For Connie, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, she could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Connie really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Connie was born June 2, 1946 to Constance and Art Christianson. She was raised in Las Vegas, Nevada by Constance and Everette Iiams. As a child, Connie had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around her. She was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. She couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. She was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, she succeeded in entertaining her entire family.

Always a good playmate, Connie was easygoing and fun loving. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Connie managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Connie was raised with two siblings. She had and older sister, Betty and an older brother, Art.

Ask anyone who knew her from school and they would tell you that Connie simply enjoyed others’ laughter and the sounds of her friends and acquaintances having a good time. Connie attended Alameda Junior High School in Las Cruces, New Mexico. She graduated from El Sol Rancho High School in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1964. While there she took part in Pep Club and Future Homemakers of America.

The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Connie very easy to approach. She was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in her marriage to Sam Lewis.

At work, as in life, Connie was a real “people person. ” she had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and her enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. When dealing with various projects and problems, Connie was an adaptable realist, using her common sense and trusting her experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Connie's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around her to see Connie as an excellent problem solver. Her primary occupation was as Medical Coder at the University Medical Center (UMC) in Las Vegas, Nevada. She began her 20 year stay at UMC in September of 1990, and worked in the Health Information Management (HIM) department since her arrival. Connie began as a medical transcriptionist, and when transcription was outsourced, she trained to become a Coder (passing the test for her credential on the first attempt.) Connie loved the color purple- wearing it every Wednesday without fail. She will be deeply missed (especially her infectious giggle) not only by her co-workers in HIM, but by all of her UMC "family".

Connie enjoyed her leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Connie liked creating and making things. Her favorite pursuits were going to the movies, shopping, trying her luck at the video poker machines, and spending time with her precious kitty, Cookie.

Connie was a lover of animals and cherished her pets, enjoying them almost as much as she enjoyed being around other people. Two of her beloved pets were her dog, Andy and her cat, Oscar, who are once again all together.

Connie passed away on September 13, 2010 at University Medical Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, after fighting with heart issues and diabetes for the past few years. Her family members, both past and present, included: Tom C. and Betty Dunham; Tom B. and Sandy Dunham; Randy and Penny Dunham; Rod and Carla Beenken; Christopher, Nicholas, and Tyler Beenken; and Art Christianson. Services were held at Palm Mortuary, Eastern Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Connie was laid to rest along side with her mother and father at Palm Valley View Cemetery in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Connie brought joy to all of those around her. She never had a mean bone in her body. She loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. She loved to share her energy, wit, and her zest for all of her activities with her friends and family. Connie Jeanne Lewis lived life to its fullest and made everyone around her happier just for knowing her. She will be remembered with a smile.

Arrangements under the direction of Palm Green Valley Funeral Home, Las Vegas, NV.