Constance Holth
Lyme — Constance Q. “Connie” Holth, 76, entered eternal rest Saturday, Aug. 22, at her home.
Born in Philadelphia July 7, 1944, Connie was the daughter of Arthur Hobson Quinn Jr. and Constance Cromwell (Jones) Quinn.
After entering Philadelphia society and graduating from The Baldwin School in Bryn Mawr, Pa., Connie met the charismatic Fredrik D. Holth at her sister Barbara Peterson’s wedding on Jan. 4, 1964. Following her graduation from the University of Pennsylvania in 1966, Connie traveled to Mystic, and was employed for the summer at Mystic Seaport. After numerous pages of eloquent correspondence, a lifelong friendship was sealed on Oct. 8, 1966, when she married Fred in Philadelphia. The young couple then lived in New York City, while Fred completed law school at the School of Law Fordham University; thereafter, they moved to Lyme.
While matriculated at the University of Pennsylvania, Connie was a proud member of Phi Beta Kappa; and thereafter received her master’s degree in education from the University of Hartford in 1970. Connie then began her teaching career at Lyme-Old Lyme High School, quickly becoming chair of the English department. Connie was admired by her colleagues and students alike. To this day, many of her former students recall her as “the teacher who was finally able to get me interested in my education.” Following her departure from LOLHS, Connie went on to teach English literature at Mohegan College, now Three Rivers Community College, where she again became a student favorite as she brought life and a modern perspective to classic literature. Connie also enjoyed various roles in the community, including, but not limited to, becoming a board member at Planned Parenthood; and she was one of the pioneer members of the Lyme Garden Club. She also enjoyed her role as parent volunteer at Lyme Consolidated School and The Williams School, as her children matriculated.
Connie’s passion for horses was paramount.
Over the years, she reveled in trail riding her Tennessee Walker, Anya; and later enjoyed continuing to ride around the Lyme trails on her American Saddlebred,
Misty. Connie’s passion for all things Irish was known to all who knew her. She traveled with a music-loving group to Ireland in the late 1980s, and through the 1990s, while following Tommy Makem on tour. These tours were some of her life’s greatest pleasures. She also enjoyed traveling throughout all of Europe, Iceland, Russia and more countries too numerous to mention. As she traveled, she was fascinated by local people and their culture; and was always ready to share fantastic stories upon her return.
In 1986, she took her children, Christina and Thor, to England to meet Fred following his transatlantic crossing. She sailed throughout the summer with her family all around northern Europe. She particularly enjoyed the fjords of Norway and racing by car around on Norwegian roads, which had little to no guardrails at the time. Connie considered her children to be her greatest achievement and took great pride in supporting them to broaden their horizons with travel and a variety of cultural and musical experiences. Connie also had deep-rooted connections to the University of Pennsylvania and was proud of her family’s heritage and leadership therein. She also greatly enjoyed spontaneous long distance drives for visits and updates with her close friends and cousins, who all miss her dearly.
Connie is survived by her son, Thor Holth, his wife, Jennifer and their two children, Owen and Charles; her daughter, Christina Holth and her husband Jonathan Mosey. She is also survived by her niece Karen (Mike) Rutledge and her three children, Michael, Andrew and Sean. Connie’s family will all miss her more than words can express.
Due to the limitations of the current pandemic, no services will be held at this time. A Celebration of Life, replete with Irish music, will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in her name to High Hopes Therapeutic Riding
Inc., 36 Town Woods Road,
Old Lyme, CT 06371; and the American Civil Liberties Union, 125 Broad St., 18th Floor, New York, NY 10004 or to a charity of their choice. Online condolences may be expressed at www.neilanfuneralhome.com.