Constance Marie Clary Sims did not like spicy food. But she loved warm rooms, zesty conversation, balmy evenings, cozy hugs, and a toasty lap dog. She was lucky enough to frequently experience the things she loved in her 26,565 days on earth.

She was warmth personified.

On March 28, 2026, as thousands of Americans from coast to coast took to the streets to champion democracy, the former hippie no stranger to marches herself, laid in bed at St Luke’s ICU, surrounded by multi generations of her family. As if by magic her beloved dog Archie appeared and her face lit up when he was held up to her for a last caress.

Later that night, in a room filled with love, she passed away and has been deeply missed every day since.

She inhabited a body that took her on quite a journey, and endured many surgeries and hospital stays over the years. She accrued a new lease on life every time she left the hospital, improved in one way or another by the extraordinary efforts made by so many doctors and nurses over the years, and her own impressive tenacity and sense of humor. Nothing helped her more over the year than her husband, Tom. He is called Doctor as he achieved his PhD but the medical knowledge he’s gained being by her side, keeping track of all her notes and advocating for her health deserves some sort of honorary medical degree.

Connie was born in Coral Gables, Florida in April 1952 and grew up in a loving family in Jonesboro, Georgia. She was the daughter of Jim, an airline pilot and Mary Jane, a brilliant pianist. A middle child, sandwiched between brothers Jimmy and Will, whom she adored.

She graduated from the University of Georgia where she met Tom, her loving husband of 52 years. Her daughter Amy and son Ethan were born in Athens. The family moved to Michigan for Tom’s graduate degrees and then to Newark, Delaware, for 34 years, where she and Tom both worked at the University of Delaware. Their youngest daughter Katy was born there.

After retirement Connie, Tom and beloved dog Archie, lived in Watkinsville, Georgia and then moved to Boise, Idaho in 2021 where they shared countless joyful days with Ethan and his family, and many memorable visits with Amy’s family and with Katy and husband Aldo.

Connie regularly attended church with her family in Newark, where her children sang in the choir. She loved uplifting hymns and would often hum and sing them around the house long after church had finished. One she particularly liked was ‘He Lives’, which brings comfort to now sing, thinking of her.

She lives, she lives, she lives within my heart. She walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way. She lives, she lives, Connie Sims lives today. You ask me how I know she lives: She lives within our hearts.

Connie lives within her family – husband Tom, children Amy, Ethan and Katy, daughter in law Nicole, sons in law Alex and Aldo, grandkids Zoe, Tea, Hollis and Margot, good boy dog Archie. Brother Jim Clary, brother in laws Buddy Sims and Bobby Benson, sister in laws Chris Sims, Susan Benson and Suzanne Bryan. And her many beloved cousins and their children – she relished keeping up to speed on what everyone was up to, no matter how far away.

She loved carrot cake, a cold can of Fresca, and floating in a swimming pool. Having her grandkids over for meals and sleepovers. Beautiful flowers, late night reading, and taking creative classes. PT sessions with her trusty trainer/friend Cynthia. Gathering family together, playing games, and snuggling under a blanket.

One of her happy places was sitting at edge of the ocean in a low beach chair, waves lapping at her feet, sun hat on, letting wet sand trickle through her fingers to make little castles at her side. A fitting throne for a Georgia girl.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the United Network for Organ Sharing here: https://unos.org/give/#GiveForm