Constance Ellen "Connie" Pfeiffer

1931 - 2017  (85 years)

• Name	Constance Ellen "Connie" Pfeiffer
  Born	17 Nov 1931
  Gender	Female
  Name	Constance Ellen "Connie" Tieleman
  Residence	1955	121 Madison St. S., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-147301
  Died	14 May 2017
  Person ID	I147301	Generations
  Last Modified	7 Nov 2024

  
  

  Father	Lorne Philip Pfeifer,   b. 21 Jul 1904, Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 17 Jun 1973, , Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 68 years)
  Mother	Constance Helen Harley,   b. 19 Feb 1906, , England ,   d. 10 Sep 2000, Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age 94 years)
  Married	8 Sep 1923	Preston (Cambridge), Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1]
  Family ID	F55797	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 1	Private Edward "Whitey" Tieleman,   b. 20 Jul 1928, Wallaceburg, Chatham Twp., Kent Co., Ontario ,   d. 17 Oct 1954, , Perth Co., Ontario, Canada  (Age 26 years)
  Married	27 Dec 1952	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  Children	1. Dean Tieleman   2. Douglas Franklin Tieleman
  Last Modified	12 Nov 2024
  Family ID	F54003	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Children	1. David Tieleman
  Last Modified	12 Nov 2024
  Family ID	F63564	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  Connie (Constance) Smith November 17, 1931 - May 14, 2017 Second chances. They are always there. Connie Smith (nee Pfeiffer, nee Tieleman), aka Gramma, was a woman of determination, strength and had an ability to belly laugh like no other. We play with the cards that life deals us. We can fold or we can stay in the game until we have a better hand. Nobody knew that better than Gramma. Gramma was a graduate of the school of life, but she was also a graduate of Kitchener Collegiate Institute, her second chance to graduate with her high school diploma in her 40s! Attending classes with her children while role-modelling strength of character and the value of putting in hard work to achieve your dreams. Educated, she worked as a directory assistance operator at the company she affectionately called "The Bell". She worked there until she retired - I will never forget the time I called 411 and got her! I was about 12 years old, needless to say she said a lot more to me than just giving me the number, and I paid for that call out of my allowance. Gramma had a memory like no other a historian of all things related to our family. She made certain that everyone knew our roots, and the ever-growing branches of our expansive family tree. Her stories about my family going back to my great-great grandparents made connections to family long gone, and inspired appreciation and desire to know more of my heritage. She never missed a birthday, and as a child I always knew that a card would be in the mailbox, timed so perfectly that it would arrive exactly on my birthday! When I turned 18, my birthday card arrived like clockwork -the sentimental birthday card - with a very special note informing me that this would be the last year she sent money since I was an adult now. Calling her to thank her for the card, I told her the money was never expected, but as an adult I would prefer the "adult humour" cards she was well known for and our adult relationship was forged. EVERY SINGLE PARADE. She never missed one. Always with a thermos of hot chocolate to keep us warm enough to brave the chill of the early mornings needed to get a spot to sit on the curb. We anxiously waited for the sounds of the marching bands while she made sure we always had the best, unobstructed view. It's okay to sit on the curb - but DON'T STEP ON THE ROAD. Thankful to this day for the love and protection of my Gramma, and the Pampers that cushioned the only spanking she ever gave any grandchild. I own that experience proudly and laugh about that day often. Sharp and witty, with an insatiable thirst for knowledge, she was an avid reader, loved anything that challenged her brain. She was always reading a novel - a love she passed on to her children and grandchildren. She never missed doing the crossword in the paper, including the New York Times crossword. Trivia. Not a challenge I would take. Progressive and impressively, quite technologically savvy, she kept in touch with her friends and family through email and social media - those birthday cards eventually ended up as e-cards. We had a good laugh when she discovered that her email address, if misspelled, went to a "companion service" - but she never changed her address, she just saw the humour. Not a day went by without a "status update" on Facebook. Thankfully I'm not a diehard fan of Downton Abbey or Y&R - spoiler alert! Every now and again she would change her profile picture to one of those old black and white photographs that ended up in a long history lesson about the people, the time and why that picture was important. Second chances. Sometimes we wait for a lifetime - Gramma waited long enough to embrace her husband and soul-mate Edward "Whitey" Tieleman. At 24, pregnant with my dad Douglas, she was suddenly left alone with two young boys, David and Dean, when Whitey was taken tragically in an automobile accident. Gramma, on May 14, 2017 you were the brightest star in the sky, full of fire and determination as you left to be with him again - may your spirits be forever entwined in eternal love and happiness. Gramma, I love you. Tricia Tieleman

  
  

• Sources

  [S3108] Vit - ON - Marriage Registration, 022239-23. Lorne Philip Pfeiffer, 19, occ. Wood Worker, b. Preston, res. Preston, son of Yarrick Pfeiffer (born Preston) and Julia Albert married Constance Helen Harley, 18, occ. Spinner, b. England, res. Galt, daughter of Walter Henry Harley (born England) and Ellen Owen, Witnessed by: William McCutcheon and Bartena Taylor both of Galt, 8 September 1923 in Preston.

  
  

• Event Map

  Married - 27 Dec 1952 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth