Connie Jo (Ary) Essells, age 71, passed away peacefully in the presence of her family on Friday evening, October 7, 2016 at Hospice House, Hutchinson, KS. She is survived by her husband of 45 years, Gary Dean Essells of Hutchinson, KS, her daughter, Gina Long and grandson, Andrew Ysac of Hutchinson, KS, her son Timothy Long and wife Holly and grandson, Noah of Englewood, OH, her mother Betty Ary, Buhler, Kansas, sisters, Phyllis (Mike) Howard, Vicki (Bob) Demoret, Paula (Larry) Davis, Becky (Carl) Long and Tracey Ary, her brother, Ron (Linda) Ary, all of Hutchinson, KS. She was preceded in death by her father, Paul Ary.
Connie Jo was born on April 5, 1945 in Hutchinson, KS, to Paul and Betty (Milhon) Ary. She graduated from Lewis (KS) High School in 1963. She attended Grace Hospital School of Nursing and graduated with an RN Degree in 1965. She worked in Surgery at both Grace and St. Elizabeth Hospitals for two years before joining Dr. Jack Schroll at the Hutchinson Clinic as his Office Nurse. In 1976 she moved to North Platte, NE when her husband Gary took employment with the Union Pacific Railroad.
Connie Jo worked briefly in nursing and retail, before joining a paging and cellular company, Total-TelePage of Nebraska, retiring as General Manager in 2006. She and Gary returned to reside in Hutchinson in September of 2006.
Connie Jo was a loving wife and mother, always putting others before herself. She was a member of the North Platte Chamber of Commerce Hostesses, volunteered for 18 years with the Nebraksaland Days Rodeo Dance Committee, hosted crew members of the nuclear submarine USS Nebraska during their annual visits to Nebraskaland Days and was awarded the Dale Studley “Best in the West” Memorial Service Award in 2000. She opened her home to dozens of foreign and American students and was deeply involved in the Mid-Plains Community College Basketball Host Parent Program for almost 20 years.
She will be remembered as a most special sister, wife, mother and friend to all those whose lives she touched.
Graveside services with Rev. Bill Stapleton officiating will be at the Lewis Cemetery at 1:00 PM, Friday, October 14. The Lewis Christian Church will host family and friends following the burial. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the National Kidney Foundation in care of Hutchinson Funeral Chapel, 300 E. 30th Ave, Hutchinson, KS, 67502.