Thank you to Matthew Harmon for creating Connie's memorial as well as all his many others
My mama
Constance was born at her grandparents' home in Newark, Ohio at 555 East Main Street at 4:00 AM to Emily and Walter Sapp. She was only 5 pounds when she was born but despite that three weeks later her father Walter decided he wanted to "take a 'little' ride" in their old Buick and they ended up at Niagara Falls. Whether it was good for Constance or Emily is questionable.
The couple went on to have 5 more children and they were a handful but dearly loved. Her brother Walter arrived four years later after another "little" ride to Jacksonville, Florida. Then came Grace, Arthur, David and Jimmy in quick succession.
Emily always said the two girls in the family were little "angels" but the four boys had "slipping haloes." Constance enjoyed her family life and was close to all of them. When her brother Arthur drowned while in the Navy when he was only 21 and newly married, Connie was practically inconsolable.
The family always kept in touch including cousins, second and third cousins and their families. This manager's second cousin MWH Matt Harmon created this memorial for Constance, along with photographing the marker—for which her daughter is forever grateful.
The family of 8 lived in Mt Vernon, Ohio in a home that their mother Emily designed—a place they had fond memories of always
During her childhood Connie developed a severe mastoid infection which affected her hearing. However, she was always very capable of interpreting what others were saying so that we really never realized her problem.
Constance graduated from Mt Vernon High School when she was only 16 years old where she was a terrific student. (See attached report card.) She then went on to
Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio which she enjoyed very much. She earned her Varsity Letter and was a member of Theta Nu Sorority—which her daughter later joined many years later while she was at Otterbein. It was a Sorority where they both developed many friendships. Connie was elected to Phi Sigma Iota, National Romance Language Honorary Society and Sigma Zeta National Science Honorary Society. She also was always fantastic in her English skills. An avid reader, writer, correspondent and about anything else. Things seemed to come easily to her sponge-like mental faculties and she always worked as hard as she could at everything she tried.
Constance graduated cum laude with BOTH BA and BS degrees in 3 1/2 years with the dream of going on to medical school.
However backing up to her College life, where she met her husband Walter Schuyler. He had graduated from Wesleyan College in Middleton, Connecticut and had decided to go on to medical school however he needed more science courses. It is unclear why he chose Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio but it was a fine institution. Kenyon was only 38 miles away from Otterbein.Fate intervened and Carl Djerassi a fellow schoolmate introduced Walter to Connie. He told Walter that Connie was a "hot little number" but she was nothing of the sort as can be seen in the photo of the two couples with their dates that is attached here. Carl went on to become known for being instrumental in developing "the birth control pill" at Syntex. Thanks Carl for introducing them. Without you there would not be us.
See Walter's memorial to read more about their courtship and marriage.
Before they were married Walter worked while in school to earn the money to buy Connie an engagement ring. That is a funny story but a sad one as well because that job at the Cooper Bessemer Tire Factory was responsible for his exposure to asbestos and thusly his contraction of the mesothelioma he developed in later life.
After Connie graduated in the winter, she worked in Washington, DC playing a key-role in breaking the Japanese code which helped bring down the Japanese. (See attached photo about Yamamoto). Her salary was $1,620 per year. She was sworn to secrecy forever and Constance never told ANYONE, including her parents, husband or children about her involvement in the important code-breaking in which she was involved for which she received a special citation from the War Department. Of course, she had always been a great linguist but no one ever suspected anything until over 50 years later when the ban on silence was lifted and she felt free to reveal the truth and quietly reported some of the details to only her family. That was the degree of her loyalty and humbleness which she carried throughout her life. When she made a promise, she would keep it and her degree of loyalty to her country as well as to her family and friends was unquestionable as was her husband's. ( We have always been so proud of them both in so many ways.) Walter had tried and tried to serve in the war but was rejected due to his loud congenital heart murmur. He kept going back during each war to volunteer and was always passed over which dejected him ever after.
While Connie was in Washington, Walter was at Hahnemann Hospital in Philadelphia, Pa in Medical School. Their courtship continued despite the distance and finally they eloped one weekend July 6, 1943 and the degree of happiness afterwards can be seen in their faces that same day in the attached photos.
They had barely any money. Constance had been rooming with a friend in a boarding room that had BEDBUGS and was forced to find another place which took some TIME due to the lack of inexpensive housing then, meanwhile suffering the brutality of the bedbug bites. Connie smartly slept on the floor. However, how much TIME it took was always emphasized when she told the tale, for to her it seemed like an eternity.
Three and one half years after their their marriage during Walter's final medical school exam a daughter was born at Hahnemann. She was the first grandchild for each family involved and received many loving nicknames and she in turn returned that love and she nicknamed them—Scrappy, Gay, Ummy, Rowdy Powdy. Mommy Connie, Bobba and so on.
Constance was very athletic in her younger days. Her gymnastic and leadership skills merited her head cheerleader at Otterbein. Connie was a very intelligent, warm and compassionate person, with gifted writing and speaking skills. She knew how to listen and she gave sound council if you asked her for advice.
When Walter graduated from medical school, they went on to Cleveland, Ohio to Huron Road Hospital for his internship and residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology. There they lived in a one room apartment in the projects at 2404 Cedar Avenue, Apt 285 Cleveland 15. On October 12, 1948 a baby SON added joy to their lives. Four in one room—a baby, a one and half year old, and a groggy resident-in-training then chief resident must have been quite an ordeal but they denied that entirely.
The first home they purchased was a little gunnison in Houserville just outside State College, Pennsylvania where Walter was setting up his solo practice in OB-GYN. At first he shared a rental with a general practitioner above a bookstore and later moved into a location in the back of the Weiss Grocery store on Beaver St. Meanwhile Connie took pride in their little home with plywood unfinished walls. She made curtains for the windows and decorated within their limited budget. It had been and was hard going for awhile but the children never knew how bad it was. They had fun together with their puppy Shawnee and kitten Muffy. The son playing as a Mountie, Cowboy, , baseball player and their daughter attending nursery school at Mrs Bissie's Garden of Children with her boy-friend-to-be in her later teen age years.
In 1951 on Halloween night, they moved into their home at 528 East Hamilton Ave in State College where they remained happily for 20 years. At that time their home was on the outskirts of town and what lay beyond were fields and creeks and lovely vistas of Nittany Mountain where the children played. Because of the College there were no dearth of activities or a lack of educational facilities. Their daughter loved the University library where she did in-depth research of her own family and of families in the area or helped others find their roots. She remembers all her friends there and even now looks over the old yearbook that she helped create thinking of those days gone by and wondering about the lives of those loved ones she left behind.
On March 25, 1956, a dear little boy, Stephen, was born to Connie and Walter and of course we had to give him a nickname —Bobba (because he liked his bottle so much), Cub Scout Richard (who knows why). His nickname from his sister whose bedroom was next to hers was "Please Don't Cry! Go To Sleep Little Baby I've Got To Get Up For School" But she learned to go without sleep and her devotion to him was unswayed with deep love.
When he grew up he went to Kenyon College like his Dad and then on to Vanderbilt Law School. Stephen had two fine, lovely daughters. See his memorial which is sadly on FAG. He died tragically.
Connie and Walter's first son Walter B J Schuyler Jr became an amazing physician and had two sons that became doctors as well and a fine beautiful daughter.
Connie and Walt's daughter attended Penn State University in State College for two years and then transferred to her mother's alma mater Otterbein in Westerville, Ohio where she was valedictorian. She trained at Johns Hopkins Hospital in their Child Life Program and then went on to develop a Child Life Program at Bernallio County Hospial in Albuquerque, NM where she met her beloved husband. Her life was then devoted to her family and her career in genealogy.
During her life Constance also worked as a chemist for Wyeth Laboratories, a public school teacher and private tutor. She was just a well-rounded fantastic lady in every way.
You left us so suddenly Mom, I have never gotten over it. None of us have. It was such a shock. I am writing this in tears wishing I could have said goodbye or have been there for you to tell you of my love and soothe you as best I could. But who can? You dance in my mind always and I think of you with my every movement. The same goes for Dad. I am constantly telling stories about our lives together.
CONSTANCE
A loving mother and grandmother and great grandmother. She is missed......so entirely!!
Constance suffered a great deal physically later in life. Two hip replacements, gall bladder surgery, etc. We all wished we could do so much more for her medically. She was so stoic and nothing could keep the Toad down.
As a mother to her daughter, she was a perfect role model of what a woman should be. She had the perfect amount of love, devotion, feistiness, self confidence, and ability to defend her children. At one point she felt it was her duty to knock on the car window in front of the house where her daughter was being kissed. Although, the daughter had it well under control and always did. So funny to think back on. Daughter was flummoxed. So was the guy. Mom took care of me when I was ill as did my Dad. They were so concerned. She even went out to Arizona with me for the dry air, leaving behind my two brothers and Dad, for which she feels guilt. When I decided to go away to College I went to Connie's Alma Mater and pledged the same sorority Theta Nu. Constance even came out from Pennsylvania to Ohio herself just to go on the pledges' sorority blast. She drove the GET AWAY CAR. We always called her THE TOAD because she was like the toad from TOAD HALL in Kenneth Graham's 1908 novel that was made into a play, "The Wind In The Willows." by AA Milne . Toad was a motor car enthusiast and was always bopping around somewhere. Constance took after her father who we called the Wandrin' Star. She was game for most things that were clean fun.
We loved you so
Always there for us,
The best Mother, and wife,
A wonderful grandmother
And great grandmother,
Brilliant and lovely,
Stoic and strong,
A true lady, a true friend,
Always thinking of others!
But what we remember most
Is the very depth of your love.
You loved us in spite of ourselves.
We will love you forever,
Not just in our memories,
But as a "Song of Joy"
In our very Souls.
A mother, a lovely woman beyond words!!
Read at her funeral service by her only daughter Karen
My mama
Constance was born at her grandparents' home in Newark, Ohio at 555 East Main Street at 4:00 AM to Emily and Walter Sapp. She was only 5 pounds when she was born but despite that three weeks later her father Walter decided he wanted to "take a 'little' ride" in their old Buick and they ended up at Niagara Falls. Whether it was good for Constance or Emily is questionable.
The couple went on to have 5 more children and they were a handful but dearly loved. Her brother Walter arrived four years later after another "little" ride to Jacksonville, Florida. Then came Grace, Arthur, David and Jimmy in quick succession.
Emily always said the two girls in the family were little "angels" but the four boys had "slipping haloes." Constance enjoyed her family life and was close to all of them. When her brother Arthur drowned while in the Navy when he was only 21 and newly married, Connie was practically inconsolable.
The family always kept in touch including cousins, second and third cousins and their families. This manager's second cousin MWH Matt Harmon created this memorial for Constance, along with photographing the marker—for which her daughter is forever grateful.
The family of 8 lived in Mt Vernon, Ohio in a home that their mother Emily designed—a place they had fond memories of always
During her childhood Connie developed a severe mastoid infection which affected her hearing. However, she was always very capable of interpreting what others were saying so that we really never realized her problem.
Constance graduated from Mt Vernon High School when she was only 16 years old where she was a terrific student. (See attached report card.) She then went on to
Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio which she enjoyed very much. She earned her Varsity Letter and was a member of Theta Nu Sorority—which her daughter later joined many years later while she was at Otterbein. It was a Sorority where they both developed many friendships. Connie was elected to Phi Sigma Iota, National Romance Language Honorary Society and Sigma Zeta National Science Honorary Society. She also was always fantastic in her English skills. An avid reader, writer, correspondent and about anything else. Things seemed to come easily to her sponge-like mental faculties and she always worked as hard as she could at everything she tried.
Constance graduated cum laude with BOTH BA and BS degrees in 3 1/2 years with the dream of going on to medical school.
However backing up to her College life, where she met her husband Walter Schuyler. He had graduated from Wesleyan College in Middleton, Connecticut and had decided to go on to medical school however he needed more science courses. It is unclear why he chose Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio but it was a fine institution. Kenyon was only 38 miles away from Otterbein.Fate intervened and Carl Djerassi a fellow schoolmate introduced Walter to Connie. He told Walter that Connie was a "hot little number" but she was nothing of the sort as can be seen in the photo of the two couples with their dates that is attached here. Carl went on to become known for being instrumental in developing "the birth control pill" at Syntex. Thanks Carl for introducing them. Without you there would not be us.
See Walter's memorial to read more about their courtship and marriage.
Before they were married Walter worked while in school to earn the money to buy Connie an engagement ring. That is a funny story but a sad one as well because that job at the Cooper Bessemer Tire Factory was responsible for his exposure to asbestos and thusly his contraction of the mesothelioma he developed in later life.
After Connie graduated in the winter, she worked in Washington, DC playing a key-role in breaking the Japanese code which helped bring down the Japanese. (See attached photo about Yamamoto). Her salary was $1,620 per year. She was sworn to secrecy forever and Constance never told ANYONE, including her parents, husband or children about her involvement in the important code-breaking in which she was involved for which she received a special citation from the War Department. Of course, she had always been a great linguist but no one ever suspected anything until over 50 years later when the ban on silence was lifted and she felt free to reveal the truth and quietly reported some of the details to only her family. That was the degree of her loyalty and humbleness which she carried throughout her life. When she made a promise, she would keep it and her degree of loyalty to her country as well as to her family and friends was unquestionable as was her husband's. ( We have always been so proud of them both in so many ways.) Walter had tried and tried to serve in the war but was rejected due to his loud congenital heart murmur. He kept going back during each war to volunteer and was always passed over which dejected him ever after.
While Connie was in Washington, Walter was at Hahnemann Hospital in Philadelphia, Pa in Medical School. Their courtship continued despite the distance and finally they eloped one weekend July 6, 1943 and the degree of happiness afterwards can be seen in their faces that same day in the attached photos.
They had barely any money. Constance had been rooming with a friend in a boarding room that had BEDBUGS and was forced to find another place which took some TIME due to the lack of inexpensive housing then, meanwhile suffering the brutality of the bedbug bites. Connie smartly slept on the floor. However, how much TIME it took was always emphasized when she told the tale, for to her it seemed like an eternity.
Three and one half years after their their marriage during Walter's final medical school exam a daughter was born at Hahnemann. She was the first grandchild for each family involved and received many loving nicknames and she in turn returned that love and she nicknamed them—Scrappy, Gay, Ummy, Rowdy Powdy. Mommy Connie, Bobba and so on.
Constance was very athletic in her younger days. Her gymnastic and leadership skills merited her head cheerleader at Otterbein. Connie was a very intelligent, warm and compassionate person, with gifted writing and speaking skills. She knew how to listen and she gave sound council if you asked her for advice.
When Walter graduated from medical school, they went on to Cleveland, Ohio to Huron Road Hospital for his internship and residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology. There they lived in a one room apartment in the projects at 2404 Cedar Avenue, Apt 285 Cleveland 15. On October 12, 1948 a baby SON added joy to their lives. Four in one room—a baby, a one and half year old, and a groggy resident-in-training then chief resident must have been quite an ordeal but they denied that entirely.
The first home they purchased was a little gunnison in Houserville just outside State College, Pennsylvania where Walter was setting up his solo practice in OB-GYN. At first he shared a rental with a general practitioner above a bookstore and later moved into a location in the back of the Weiss Grocery store on Beaver St. Meanwhile Connie took pride in their little home with plywood unfinished walls. She made curtains for the windows and decorated within their limited budget. It had been and was hard going for awhile but the children never knew how bad it was. They had fun together with their puppy Shawnee and kitten Muffy. The son playing as a Mountie, Cowboy, , baseball player and their daughter attending nursery school at Mrs Bissie's Garden of Children with her boy-friend-to-be in her later teen age years.
In 1951 on Halloween night, they moved into their home at 528 East Hamilton Ave in State College where they remained happily for 20 years. At that time their home was on the outskirts of town and what lay beyond were fields and creeks and lovely vistas of Nittany Mountain where the children played. Because of the College there were no dearth of activities or a lack of educational facilities. Their daughter loved the University library where she did in-depth research of her own family and of families in the area or helped others find their roots. She remembers all her friends there and even now looks over the old yearbook that she helped create thinking of those days gone by and wondering about the lives of those loved ones she left behind.
On March 25, 1956, a dear little boy, Stephen, was born to Connie and Walter and of course we had to give him a nickname —Bobba (because he liked his bottle so much), Cub Scout Richard (who knows why). His nickname from his sister whose bedroom was next to hers was "Please Don't Cry! Go To Sleep Little Baby I've Got To Get Up For School" But she learned to go without sleep and her devotion to him was unswayed with deep love.
When he grew up he went to Kenyon College like his Dad and then on to Vanderbilt Law School. Stephen had two fine, lovely daughters. See his memorial which is sadly on FAG. He died tragically.
Connie and Walter's first son Walter B J Schuyler Jr became an amazing physician and had two sons that became doctors as well and a fine beautiful daughter.
Connie and Walt's daughter attended Penn State University in State College for two years and then transferred to her mother's alma mater Otterbein in Westerville, Ohio where she was valedictorian. She trained at Johns Hopkins Hospital in their Child Life Program and then went on to develop a Child Life Program at Bernallio County Hospial in Albuquerque, NM where she met her beloved husband. Her life was then devoted to her family and her career in genealogy.
During her life Constance also worked as a chemist for Wyeth Laboratories, a public school teacher and private tutor. She was just a well-rounded fantastic lady in every way.
You left us so suddenly Mom, I have never gotten over it. None of us have. It was such a shock. I am writing this in tears wishing I could have said goodbye or have been there for you to tell you of my love and soothe you as best I could. But who can? You dance in my mind always and I think of you with my every movement. The same goes for Dad. I am constantly telling stories about our lives together.
CONSTANCE
A loving mother and grandmother and great grandmother. She is missed......so entirely!!
Constance suffered a great deal physically later in life. Two hip replacements, gall bladder surgery, etc. We all wished we could do so much more for her medically. She was so stoic and nothing could keep the Toad down.
As a mother to her daughter, she was a perfect role model of what a woman should be. She had the perfect amount of love, devotion, feistiness, self confidence, and ability to defend her children. At one point she felt it was her duty to knock on the car window in front of the house where her daughter was being kissed. Although, the daughter had it well under control and always did. So funny to think back on. Daughter was flummoxed. So was the guy. Mom took care of me when I was ill as did my Dad. They were so concerned. She even went out to Arizona with me for the dry air, leaving behind my two brothers and Dad, for which she feels guilt. When I decided to go away to College I went to Connie's Alma Mater and pledged the same sorority Theta Nu. Constance even came out from Pennsylvania to Ohio herself just to go on the pledges' sorority blast. She drove the GET AWAY CAR. We always called her THE TOAD because she was like the toad from TOAD HALL in Kenneth Graham's 1908 novel that was made into a play, "The Wind In The Willows." by AA Milne . Toad was a motor car enthusiast and was always bopping around somewhere. Constance took after her father who we called the Wandrin' Star. She was game for most things that were clean fun.
We loved you so
Always there for us,
The best Mother, and wife,
A wonderful grandmother
And great grandmother,
Brilliant and lovely,
Stoic and strong,
A true lady, a true friend,
Always thinking of others!
But what we remember most
Is the very depth of your love.
You loved us in spite of ourselves.
We will love you forever,
Not just in our memories,
But as a "Song of Joy"
In our very Souls.
A mother, a lovely woman beyond words!!
Read at her funeral service by her only daughter Karen
Thank you to Matthew Harmon for creating Connie's memorial as well as all his many others
My mama
Constance was born at her grandparents' home in Newark, Ohio at 555 East Main Street at 4:00 AM to Emily and Walter Sapp. She was only 5 pounds when she was born but despite that three weeks later her father Walter decided he wanted to "take a 'little' ride" in their old Buick and they ended up at Niagara Falls. Whether it was good for Constance or Emily is questionable.
The couple went on to have 5 more children and they were a handful but dearly loved. Her brother Walter arrived four years later after another "little" ride to Jacksonville, Florida. Then came Grace, Arthur, David and Jimmy in quick succession.
Emily always said the two girls in the family were little "angels" but the four boys had "slipping haloes." Constance enjoyed her family life and was close to all of them. When her brother Arthur drowned while in the Navy when he was only 21 and newly married, Connie was practically inconsolable.
The family always kept in touch including cousins, second and third cousins and their families. This manager's second cousin MWH Matt Harmon created this memorial for Constance, along with photographing the marker—for which her daughter is forever grateful.
The family of 8 lived in Mt Vernon, Ohio in a home that their mother Emily designed—a place they had fond memories of always
During her childhood Connie developed a severe mastoid infection which affected her hearing. However, she was always very capable of interpreting what others were saying so that we really never realized her problem.
Constance graduated from Mt Vernon High School when she was only 16 years old where she was a terrific student. (See attached report card.) She then went on to
Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio which she enjoyed very much. She earned her Varsity Letter and was a member of Theta Nu Sorority—which her daughter later joined many years later while she was at Otterbein. It was a Sorority where they both developed many friendships. Connie was elected to Phi Sigma Iota, National Romance Language Honorary Society and Sigma Zeta National Science Honorary Society. She also was always fantastic in her English skills. An avid reader, writer, correspondent and about anything else. Things seemed to come easily to her sponge-like mental faculties and she always worked as hard as she could at everything she tried.
Constance graduated cum laude with BOTH BA and BS degrees in 3 1/2 years with the dream of going on to medical school.
However backing up to her College life, where she met her husband Walter Schuyler. He had graduated from Wesleyan College in Middleton, Connecticut and had decided to go on to medical school however he needed more science courses. It is unclear why he chose Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio but it was a fine institution. Kenyon was only 38 miles away from Otterbein.Fate intervened and Carl Djerassi a fellow schoolmate introduced Walter to Connie. He told Walter that Connie was a "hot little number" but she was nothing of the sort as can be seen in the photo of the two couples with their dates that is attached here. Carl went on to become known for being instrumental in developing "the birth control pill" at Syntex. Thanks Carl for introducing them. Without you there would not be us.
See Walter's memorial to read more about their courtship and marriage.
Before they were married Walter worked while in school to earn the money to buy Connie an engagement ring. That is a funny story but a sad one as well because that job at the Cooper Bessemer Tire Factory was responsible for his exposure to asbestos and thusly his contraction of the mesothelioma he developed in later life.
After Connie graduated in the winter, she worked in Washington, DC playing a key-role in breaking the Japanese code which helped bring down the Japanese. (See attached photo about Yamamoto). Her salary was $1,620 per year. She was sworn to secrecy forever and Constance never told ANYONE, including her parents, husband or children about her involvement in the important code-breaking in which she was involved for which she received a special citation from the War Department. Of course, she had always been a great linguist but no one ever suspected anything until over 50 years later when the ban on silence was lifted and she felt free to reveal the truth and quietly reported some of the details to only her family. That was the degree of her loyalty and humbleness which she carried throughout her life. When she made a promise, she would keep it and her degree of loyalty to her country as well as to her family and friends was unquestionable as was her husband's. ( We have always been so proud of them both in so many ways.) Walter had tried and tried to serve in the war but was rejected due to his loud congenital heart murmur. He kept going back during each war to volunteer and was always passed over which dejected him ever after.
While Connie was in Washington, Walter was at Hahnemann Hospital in Philadelphia, Pa in Medical School. Their courtship continued despite the distance and finally they eloped one weekend July 6, 1943 and the degree of happiness afterwards can be seen in their faces that same day in the attached photos.
They had barely any money. Constance had been rooming with a friend in a boarding room that had BEDBUGS and was forced to find another place which took some TIME due to the lack of inexpensive housing then, meanwhile suffering the brutality of the bedbug bites. Connie smartly slept on the floor. However, how much TIME it took was always emphasized when she told the tale, for to her it seemed like an eternity.
Three and one half years after their their marriage during Walter's final medical school exam a daughter was born at Hahnemann. She was the first grandchild for each family involved and received many loving nicknames and she in turn returned that love and she nicknamed them—Scrappy, Gay, Ummy, Rowdy Powdy. Mommy Connie, Bobba and so on.
Constance was very athletic in her younger days. Her gymnastic and leadership skills merited her head cheerleader at Otterbein. Connie was a very intelligent, warm and compassionate person, with gifted writing and speaking skills. She knew how to listen and she gave sound council if you asked her for advice.
When Walter graduated from medical school, they went on to Cleveland, Ohio to Huron Road Hospital for his internship and residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology. There they lived in a one room apartment in the projects at 2404 Cedar Avenue, Apt 285 Cleveland 15. On October 12, 1948 a baby SON added joy to their lives. Four in one room—a baby, a one and half year old, and a groggy resident-in-training then chief resident must have been quite an ordeal but they denied that entirely.
The first home they purchased was a little gunnison in Houserville just outside State College, Pennsylvania where Walter was setting up his solo practice in OB-GYN. At first he shared a rental with a general practitioner above a bookstore and later moved into a location in the back of the Weiss Grocery store on Beaver St. Meanwhile Connie took pride in their little home with plywood unfinished walls. She made curtains for the windows and decorated within their limited budget. It had been and was hard going for awhile but the children never knew how bad it was. They had fun together with their puppy Shawnee and kitten Muffy. The son playing as a Mountie, Cowboy, , baseball player and their daughter attending nursery school at Mrs Bissie's Garden of Children with her boy-friend-to-be in her later teen age years.
In 1951 on Halloween night, they moved into their home at 528 East Hamilton Ave in State College where they remained happily for 20 years. At that time their home was on the outskirts of town and what lay beyond were fields and creeks and lovely vistas of Nittany Mountain where the children played. Because of the College there were no dearth of activities or a lack of educational facilities. Their daughter loved the University library where she did in-depth research of her own family and of families in the area or helped others find their roots. She remembers all her friends there and even now looks over the old yearbook that she helped create thinking of those days gone by and wondering about the lives of those loved ones she left behind.
On March 25, 1956, a dear little boy, Stephen, was born to Connie and Walter and of course we had to give him a nickname —Bobba (because he liked his bottle so much), Cub Scout Richard (who knows why). His nickname from his sister whose bedroom was next to hers was "Please Don't Cry! Go To Sleep Little Baby I've Got To Get Up For School" But she learned to go without sleep and her devotion to him was unswayed with deep love.
When he grew up he went to Kenyon College like his Dad and then on to Vanderbilt Law School. Stephen had two fine, lovely daughters. See his memorial which is sadly on FAG. He died tragically.
Connie and Walter's first son Walter B J Schuyler Jr became an amazing physician and had two sons that became doctors as well and a fine beautiful daughter.
Connie and Walt's daughter attended Penn State University in State College for two years and then transferred to her mother's alma mater Otterbein in Westerville, Ohio where she was valedictorian. She trained at Johns Hopkins Hospital in their Child Life Program and then went on to develop a Child Life Program at Bernallio County Hospial in Albuquerque, NM where she met her beloved husband. Her life was then devoted to her family and her career in genealogy.
During her life Constance also worked as a chemist for Wyeth Laboratories, a public school teacher and private tutor. She was just a well-rounded fantastic lady in every way.
You left us so suddenly Mom, I have never gotten over it. None of us have. It was such a shock. I am writing this in tears wishing I could have said goodbye or have been there for you to tell you of my love and soothe you as best I could. But who can? You dance in my mind always and I think of you with my every movement. The same goes for Dad. I am constantly telling stories about our lives together.
CONSTANCE
A loving mother and grandmother and great grandmother. She is missed......so entirely!!
Constance suffered a great deal physically later in life. Two hip replacements, gall bladder surgery, etc. We all wished we could do so much more for her medically. She was so stoic and nothing could keep the Toad down.
As a mother to her daughter, she was a perfect role model of what a woman should be. She had the perfect amount of love, devotion, feistiness, self confidence, and ability to defend her children. At one point she felt it was her duty to knock on the car window in front of the house where her daughter was being kissed. Although, the daughter had it well under control and always did. So funny to think back on. Daughter was flummoxed. So was the guy. Mom took care of me when I was ill as did my Dad. They were so concerned. She even went out to Arizona with me for the dry air, leaving behind my two brothers and Dad, for which she feels guilt. When I decided to go away to College I went to Connie's Alma Mater and pledged the same sorority Theta Nu. Constance even came out from Pennsylvania to Ohio herself just to go on the pledges' sorority blast. She drove the GET AWAY CAR. We always called her THE TOAD because she was like the toad from TOAD HALL in Kenneth Graham's 1908 novel that was made into a play, "The Wind In The Willows." by AA Milne . Toad was a motor car enthusiast and was always bopping around somewhere. Constance took after her father who we called the Wandrin' Star. She was game for most things that were clean fun.
We loved you so
Always there for us,
The best Mother, and wife,
A wonderful grandmother
And great grandmother,
Brilliant and lovely,
Stoic and strong,
A true lady, a true friend,
Always thinking of others!
But what we remember most
Is the very depth of your love.
You loved us in spite of ourselves.
We will love you forever,
Not just in our memories,
But as a "Song of Joy"
In our very Souls.
A mother, a lovely woman beyond words!!
Read at her funeral service by her only daughter Karen
My mama
Constance was born at her grandparents' home in Newark, Ohio at 555 East Main Street at 4:00 AM to Emily and Walter Sapp. She was only 5 pounds when she was born but despite that three weeks later her father Walter decided he wanted to "take a 'little' ride" in their old Buick and they ended up at Niagara Falls. Whether it was good for Constance or Emily is questionable.
The couple went on to have 5 more children and they were a handful but dearly loved. Her brother Walter arrived four years later after another "little" ride to Jacksonville, Florida. Then came Grace, Arthur, David and Jimmy in quick succession.
Emily always said the two girls in the family were little "angels" but the four boys had "slipping haloes." Constance enjoyed her family life and was close to all of them. When her brother Arthur drowned while in the Navy when he was only 21 and newly married, Connie was practically inconsolable.
The family always kept in touch including cousins, second and third cousins and their families. This manager's second cousin MWH Matt Harmon created this memorial for Constance, along with photographing the marker—for which her daughter is forever grateful.
The family of 8 lived in Mt Vernon, Ohio in a home that their mother Emily designed—a place they had fond memories of always
During her childhood Connie developed a severe mastoid infection which affected her hearing. However, she was always very capable of interpreting what others were saying so that we really never realized her problem.
Constance graduated from Mt Vernon High School when she was only 16 years old where she was a terrific student. (See attached report card.) She then went on to
Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio which she enjoyed very much. She earned her Varsity Letter and was a member of Theta Nu Sorority—which her daughter later joined many years later while she was at Otterbein. It was a Sorority where they both developed many friendships. Connie was elected to Phi Sigma Iota, National Romance Language Honorary Society and Sigma Zeta National Science Honorary Society. She also was always fantastic in her English skills. An avid reader, writer, correspondent and about anything else. Things seemed to come easily to her sponge-like mental faculties and she always worked as hard as she could at everything she tried.
Constance graduated cum laude with BOTH BA and BS degrees in 3 1/2 years with the dream of going on to medical school.
However backing up to her College life, where she met her husband Walter Schuyler. He had graduated from Wesleyan College in Middleton, Connecticut and had decided to go on to medical school however he needed more science courses. It is unclear why he chose Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio but it was a fine institution. Kenyon was only 38 miles away from Otterbein.Fate intervened and Carl Djerassi a fellow schoolmate introduced Walter to Connie. He told Walter that Connie was a "hot little number" but she was nothing of the sort as can be seen in the photo of the two couples with their dates that is attached here. Carl went on to become known for being instrumental in developing "the birth control pill" at Syntex. Thanks Carl for introducing them. Without you there would not be us.
See Walter's memorial to read more about their courtship and marriage.
Before they were married Walter worked while in school to earn the money to buy Connie an engagement ring. That is a funny story but a sad one as well because that job at the Cooper Bessemer Tire Factory was responsible for his exposure to asbestos and thusly his contraction of the mesothelioma he developed in later life.
After Connie graduated in the winter, she worked in Washington, DC playing a key-role in breaking the Japanese code which helped bring down the Japanese. (See attached photo about Yamamoto). Her salary was $1,620 per year. She was sworn to secrecy forever and Constance never told ANYONE, including her parents, husband or children about her involvement in the important code-breaking in which she was involved for which she received a special citation from the War Department. Of course, she had always been a great linguist but no one ever suspected anything until over 50 years later when the ban on silence was lifted and she felt free to reveal the truth and quietly reported some of the details to only her family. That was the degree of her loyalty and humbleness which she carried throughout her life. When she made a promise, she would keep it and her degree of loyalty to her country as well as to her family and friends was unquestionable as was her husband's. ( We have always been so proud of them both in so many ways.) Walter had tried and tried to serve in the war but was rejected due to his loud congenital heart murmur. He kept going back during each war to volunteer and was always passed over which dejected him ever after.
While Connie was in Washington, Walter was at Hahnemann Hospital in Philadelphia, Pa in Medical School. Their courtship continued despite the distance and finally they eloped one weekend July 6, 1943 and the degree of happiness afterwards can be seen in their faces that same day in the attached photos.
They had barely any money. Constance had been rooming with a friend in a boarding room that had BEDBUGS and was forced to find another place which took some TIME due to the lack of inexpensive housing then, meanwhile suffering the brutality of the bedbug bites. Connie smartly slept on the floor. However, how much TIME it took was always emphasized when she told the tale, for to her it seemed like an eternity.
Three and one half years after their their marriage during Walter's final medical school exam a daughter was born at Hahnemann. She was the first grandchild for each family involved and received many loving nicknames and she in turn returned that love and she nicknamed them—Scrappy, Gay, Ummy, Rowdy Powdy. Mommy Connie, Bobba and so on.
Constance was very athletic in her younger days. Her gymnastic and leadership skills merited her head cheerleader at Otterbein. Connie was a very intelligent, warm and compassionate person, with gifted writing and speaking skills. She knew how to listen and she gave sound council if you asked her for advice.
When Walter graduated from medical school, they went on to Cleveland, Ohio to Huron Road Hospital for his internship and residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology. There they lived in a one room apartment in the projects at 2404 Cedar Avenue, Apt 285 Cleveland 15. On October 12, 1948 a baby SON added joy to their lives. Four in one room—a baby, a one and half year old, and a groggy resident-in-training then chief resident must have been quite an ordeal but they denied that entirely.
The first home they purchased was a little gunnison in Houserville just outside State College, Pennsylvania where Walter was setting up his solo practice in OB-GYN. At first he shared a rental with a general practitioner above a bookstore and later moved into a location in the back of the Weiss Grocery store on Beaver St. Meanwhile Connie took pride in their little home with plywood unfinished walls. She made curtains for the windows and decorated within their limited budget. It had been and was hard going for awhile but the children never knew how bad it was. They had fun together with their puppy Shawnee and kitten Muffy. The son playing as a Mountie, Cowboy, , baseball player and their daughter attending nursery school at Mrs Bissie's Garden of Children with her boy-friend-to-be in her later teen age years.
In 1951 on Halloween night, they moved into their home at 528 East Hamilton Ave in State College where they remained happily for 20 years. At that time their home was on the outskirts of town and what lay beyond were fields and creeks and lovely vistas of Nittany Mountain where the children played. Because of the College there were no dearth of activities or a lack of educational facilities. Their daughter loved the University library where she did in-depth research of her own family and of families in the area or helped others find their roots. She remembers all her friends there and even now looks over the old yearbook that she helped create thinking of those days gone by and wondering about the lives of those loved ones she left behind.
On March 25, 1956, a dear little boy, Stephen, was born to Connie and Walter and of course we had to give him a nickname —Bobba (because he liked his bottle so much), Cub Scout Richard (who knows why). His nickname from his sister whose bedroom was next to hers was "Please Don't Cry! Go To Sleep Little Baby I've Got To Get Up For School" But she learned to go without sleep and her devotion to him was unswayed with deep love.
When he grew up he went to Kenyon College like his Dad and then on to Vanderbilt Law School. Stephen had two fine, lovely daughters. See his memorial which is sadly on FAG. He died tragically.
Connie and Walter's first son Walter B J Schuyler Jr became an amazing physician and had two sons that became doctors as well and a fine beautiful daughter.
Connie and Walt's daughter attended Penn State University in State College for two years and then transferred to her mother's alma mater Otterbein in Westerville, Ohio where she was valedictorian. She trained at Johns Hopkins Hospital in their Child Life Program and then went on to develop a Child Life Program at Bernallio County Hospial in Albuquerque, NM where she met her beloved husband. Her life was then devoted to her family and her career in genealogy.
During her life Constance also worked as a chemist for Wyeth Laboratories, a public school teacher and private tutor. She was just a well-rounded fantastic lady in every way.
You left us so suddenly Mom, I have never gotten over it. None of us have. It was such a shock. I am writing this in tears wishing I could have said goodbye or have been there for you to tell you of my love and soothe you as best I could. But who can? You dance in my mind always and I think of you with my every movement. The same goes for Dad. I am constantly telling stories about our lives together.
CONSTANCE
A loving mother and grandmother and great grandmother. She is missed......so entirely!!
Constance suffered a great deal physically later in life. Two hip replacements, gall bladder surgery, etc. We all wished we could do so much more for her medically. She was so stoic and nothing could keep the Toad down.
As a mother to her daughter, she was a perfect role model of what a woman should be. She had the perfect amount of love, devotion, feistiness, self confidence, and ability to defend her children. At one point she felt it was her duty to knock on the car window in front of the house where her daughter was being kissed. Although, the daughter had it well under control and always did. So funny to think back on. Daughter was flummoxed. So was the guy. Mom took care of me when I was ill as did my Dad. They were so concerned. She even went out to Arizona with me for the dry air, leaving behind my two brothers and Dad, for which she feels guilt. When I decided to go away to College I went to Connie's Alma Mater and pledged the same sorority Theta Nu. Constance even came out from Pennsylvania to Ohio herself just to go on the pledges' sorority blast. She drove the GET AWAY CAR. We always called her THE TOAD because she was like the toad from TOAD HALL in Kenneth Graham's 1908 novel that was made into a play, "The Wind In The Willows." by AA Milne . Toad was a motor car enthusiast and was always bopping around somewhere. Constance took after her father who we called the Wandrin' Star. She was game for most things that were clean fun.
We loved you so
Always there for us,
The best Mother, and wife,
A wonderful grandmother
And great grandmother,
Brilliant and lovely,
Stoic and strong,
A true lady, a true friend,
Always thinking of others!
But what we remember most
Is the very depth of your love.
You loved us in spite of ourselves.
We will love you forever,
Not just in our memories,
But as a "Song of Joy"
In our very Souls.
A mother, a lovely woman beyond words!!
Read at her funeral service by her only daughter Karen
