Obituary for Constance “Connie” Ketchum HOLDERNESS, NH – Constance Anne “Connie” Ketchum, 85, of Holderness, formerly of Kennebunk, ME, died Monday, February 5, 2018 at her residence in Laconia, NH following a period of failing health. Connie, as she was known to her friends and family, was born March 10, 1932 in Mt. Kisco, NY, a daughter of Clarence and Jennie Brown Ketchum.
She graduated from Horace Greeley High School in Mt. Kisco, NY where she was a member of the varsity basketball, and hockey teams, varsity cheerleading squad and class president. Her summers were spent at Bonnie View Farm, her family farm on Prince Edward Island.
Connie developed a lifelong love for PEI and her extended family, continuing to visit often and connect with family. Personal savings and the aid of many scholarships allowed her to further her education. She attended the University of New Hampshire, where she was a secretarial major.
There she met her future husband John C. ‘Jack‘ Armstrong. Connie and Jack lived the life of an Air Force family over the next 10 years at domestic and overseas stations in Germany and Turkey. Sons John, David, Peter and Tom were born over this active period.
Connie and Jack then settled in Canton, CT, where Tim, son #5 was born. Connie and family moved to NH where Jack took over the family real estate business after his mother’s retirement. Connie was an important part of the business running key back- office operations.
Always busy and productive, she got involved with school activities and committees and was Cub Scout and Boy Scout ‘Den Mother’ for many years. After her marriage with Jack ended in 1978, Connie began a second career working as the office manager, bookkeeper, and job processor for Keyworth Graphics. With the kids off to school and work, Connie turned her attention to researching family history, producing several volumes and hundreds of pages of genealogy, going back to 1150.
Connie’s work included travel to France and Belgium to research local archives and retrace her father’s route as Sergeant in the Great War. In many ways, this research was her life’s work. Connie spent her retirement years at her family home in Kennebunk, Maine where she enjoyed her community of neighbors, walks on ‘Mother’s Beach’ and working on various research projects at the Kennebunk Free Library, including a book she wrote on the history of the library.
Connie will be remembered for her steadfast dedication and love for her children and family. She will be missed but her values will carry on. Connie is survived by five sons, John Peter Armstrong of Oakley, UT, David Stavig Armstrong of Kaufen Ren, Bavaria, Germany, Peter Alan Armstrong of Spokane, WA, Thomas Willoughby Armstrong of Holderness, NH, and Timothy Glen Armstrong of San Mateo, CA, nine grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.
A graveside service at Hope Cemetery, Kennebunk ME will be held in the Spring and announced by Bibber Memorial Chapel, 67 Summer St. Kennebunk, ME. Should Friends desire, memorial donations may be made to the Kennebunk Free Library PO Box 112 Main St. Kennebunk ME. 04043.
To share a memory or leave a message of condolence, please visit Connie’s Book of Memories page at www.
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