Constance Raye Dearing

Constance Raye “Connie” Dearing was born on November 16, 1947 in Lexington, Kentucky to William and Mary Lillian Condra. She was the eldest of three children and graduated from Lafayette High School in Lexington.
In 1967, she met and married Raymond “Skip” Dearing after a three-month courtship. They moved to Citrus County, Florida permanently in 1980 where she delivered mail as a contract carrier for the United States Post office, and later went to work for Florida Power Corporation as clerk in document control, retiring from Progress Energy. She was active in the Citrus County Women’s Bowling Association in the early 1980’s and made many friends during her bowling years. She was an avid reader, collecting hundreds of Harlequin Romance Novels and most recently became enamored with the Harry Potter series. In her later years, one could always find her sitting in her favorite recliner, watching her most favorite of ancient television series- Perry Mason, and she must have watched M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Village” about a thousand times, as she appears to be the only person on the entire planet who either enjoyed or understood that movie. She loved to cook for her family, and most of our friends would vividly remember the elaborate birthday cakes she would decorate for her children in their youth. 
She was a very supportive parent, always attending her son’s football games or her daughters’ band performances. Fiercely independent and outspoken, she was a joy to all (except those who irritated her). Witty and sarcastic, she had a wicked sense of humor and when diagnosed with Stage IV Lung Cancer, declared, “if I’m gonna go down, I’m gonna go down swingin’!” And that’s exactly what she did… 
Left to cherish her memory are her husband of nearly 51 years, Skip Dearing, her children Ray Dearing, Leigh Anne Dearing (Randy), and Kelley Savage (Stan), her much beloved “little brother” Bill Condra, and her pride and joy- the grandchildren: Rayeanne and Ethan Savage and Morgan and Mikayla Gibson. 
Many thanks to the staff at Moffitt Cancer Center, Bayfront Seven Rivers Medical Center and to Sean McGan for the care provided to our mother.
Those who know our family will understand when we send our love and fondest farewells to the “Short round, no neck, flat-footed goofy woman- sure looks strange to me!” 
We love and miss you very much, Ma-
Leigh Anne, Kelley, and Ray.