Connie Patton

Connie was born in Winterset, Iowa on May 13, 1946 to Lloyd and Cleta Fay Schirm. She grew up on a farm in Peru, Iowa with her sisters, Fonda and Pat, and her brother Rick. She loved playing with the animals (including riding the sheep and the neighbor’s donkey) and with her friends that lived across the field. Every Sunday, her family would go on a drive, one of her favorite destinations being Clark’s Tower in Winterset. Connie loved eating malted milk balls so much that she once chipped her tooth shaking her piggy bank too hard in order to pay for them. In 1963, halfway through her time at Winterset High School, she moved to Longmont, Colorado with her mother, brother Rick, and 9-month-old sister Shelley, along with step-siblings Clark, Betta, and Margo Brittain. She graduated from Longmont High School in 1965.

Connie was married to Neil Hart for 13 years and had her only child, Terron Hart. She also raised her sister Shelley from the age of 10. She considered them both to be her “kids”. She was also married to Don Patton for 13 years. She lived out her later years as a single woman. Whenever Connie worked, she gave it her all, but her true passion in life was spending time with family and friends. She attended Bethel Temple and New Creation Church, and was a self-proclaimed Pentecostal.

Connie loved being a mother and grandmother to her only grandson. She enjoyed cooking, baking, and eating (particularly sweets), gardening – especially her strawberries on “strawberry hill” and sharing tomato plants with others, talking and laughing for hours on end (in person and on the phone), and drinking Coca-Cola. She loved driving her Oldsmobile Cutlass with a lead foot, being the life of the party, shopping at yard sales and thrift stores, watching tv, cutting out news articles with recipes and reading the newspaper, water-skiing on Lake Powell, and camping in a boat and camper. Connie’s appearance was unmistakable and distinct. She was usually styled in an array of brightly colored clothing, (purple was her absolute favorite) and never left the house without her pink lipstick. In the last half of her life, she dyed her hair blonde, “because blondes have more fun”, which was what Connie was all about.

Connie was a bright and beautiful soul and the world is better for having her in it. She was loved dearly by her family and friends and will surely be missed.

She was preceded in death by her mother Cleta “Fay” Schirm, brother Rick Schirm, her father Lloyd Schirm, her sister Fonda (Schirm) Bass, her sister Pat (Schirm) Tracy along with several aunts, uncles, cousins, and other relatives. Connie is survived by her son Terron Hart and his wife Jennifer, sister Shelley Collins, niece Laney Collins, and grandson Hayden Hart. She will also be missed by her Uncle Bob and Aunt Evelyn Schirm, who live in Iowa.

A Visitation was held on Wednesday, February 15, 2023 at Ahlberg Funeral Chapel in Longmont, Colorado. A Celebration of Connie's Life will took place on Friday, February 17, 2023 at Ahlberg Funeral Chapel. The family extends their gratitude to all that were able to attend and celebrate Connie together and for wearing purple in her honor, those that sent flowers, and those that otherwise shared in remembering Connie. Please consider donating to dementia or cancer research in Connie's memory. Fond memories of Connie and expressions of sympathy for her family are welcome at www.ahlbergfuneralchapel.com.