Connie was born on August 9, 1951, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Louis and Eloise Smith. During her first two years of college, she attended Louis & Clark in Portland, Oregon. While there, she had the opportunity to study abroad in Spain and fell in love with the language and the culture – a passion that would continue for the rest of her life.
While she was in Spain, Notre Dame opened its doors to women for the first time. Connie transferred and earned a degree in Spanish in 1973 as part of the first Notre Dame graduating class to include women.
After graduating, Connie moved to San Antonio, Texas. It was there she met William (Bill) Evans through mutual friends. They were married on March 24, 1979, at the Church of Reconciliation in San Antonio, Texas.
The couple welcomed their first daughter, Marlo, in 1980, and then their second daughter, Elizabeth, in 1983.
The family moved to California in 1988, where Connie earned her elementary education teaching certificate and began student teaching. In 1990, Bill’s career took the family back to Texas, where they settled in Houston.
Connie began working in Alief ISD as a bilingual elementary school teacher, where she cherished strong friendships with many of her colleagues, who remember her as hardworking and dedicated to her students and their families.
In 1994, Bill tragically passed away after a long battle with brain cancer. Connie deeply grieved the loss of her husband.
Connie continued her teaching career after Bill’s death and was honored with the recognition of Teacher of the Year at Youens Elementary in 1995. During this time, she also began attending graduate school. In 2000, Connie earned her master’s degree in educational psychology from the University of Houston. This degree allowed her to transition from teaching to becoming an educational diagnostician. After many years of dedicated service, Connie retired from Alief ISD in 2012.
In addition to teaching, Connie put her Spanish language skills to work on several mission trips to various countries where she served as a translator for the doctors and dentists who were part of the trip. These trips were extremely important to her spiritually and allowed her to give back to the larger community.
Connie was married to Bill Seaman in 1999 and divorced in 2017. In 2014, Connie was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. This marked the beginning of a long and difficult illness.
She will be remembered for her loving years as a wife and mother, her passion for Spanish language and culture, and her dedication as an educator.
Connie is survived by her daughters, Marlo Wendell and Elizabeth Garrett, their husbands Heath and Clayton, and her grandchildren, Sofia, Lukas, Olin, and Eleanor.
A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, June 1 at 3pm at The Church of Reconciliation, 8900 Starcrest Dr. in San Antonio, Texas, with a reception to follow. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Connie’s life.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.sunsetfuneralhomesa.com for the Evans family.
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