Connie Louise Wright King, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, friend, aunt, and protector of family in need passed away peacefully on October 24, 2026. She was born August 25, 1942 in Hannibal, MO to Madeline M. Graf and Howard W. Wright. Connie is survived by her husband, Steve with whom she shared nearly 66 years of marriage, her magnificent daughter Suzanne King Gherardini (Gerry) of Lincolnshire, IL, her funny and creative son Darren of Mundelein, IL, her granddaughter Cassandra Gherardini Lindell (Pierce), of Milwaukee, WI, her grandson Clayton Gherardini of Lincolnshire, IL, her brother Greg Wright (Melinda) of Hannibal, MO, her sister Sherry Allen (Marion) of Vandalia, MO, her niece Rachel King Hejmanowski (Neil) of Poulsbo, WA, and many other beloved nieces and extended family members. Two older sisters, Jeanette Wright Fisher of Seattle, WA, and Norma Wright Huser, of Lake St. Louis, MO preceded her in death.
Connie spent formative early years in Mexico, MO. She grew up in the loving care of her paternal grandparents who brought her into their large home where she shared a bedroom with her Aunt Joanne Wright. Later she lived and thrived through her high school years with her aunt Irene Wright Powell and her husband George Powell. Connie graduated from Mexico High School where she excelled in art, speech, and drama winning state awards. She met her husband, Stephen King of Overland Park, KS who had come to Mexico to work at the local radio station. They fell in love and married two days before Christmas in 1960. They immediately moved to Chicago excited by the idea of living in a large city and the opportunities they might find there. They were not disappointed. Connie’s early married life centered on her children. The family moved from Chicago to Deerfield, IL. It was there that Connie, remembering how aunts, uncles, and grandparents had influenced her early life, welcomed young members of her extended family as well as friends of her children to live in her home when they fell upon difficult times and needed a soft place to land.
Connie also enjoyed a vibrant professional life. She returned to school to earn an associate’s degree in interior design. She worked at the Cat and Fiddle in Lake Forest applying her knowledge to the homes of the wealthy and renowned families of the area. She later launched her own interior design firm and continued her education at Parsons School of Design in New York through their program Parsons in Paris: History of French Architecture, a five-week symposium. Connie continued her interior design business adding a brick-and-mortar store called Constance in Chicago on North Halstead Street where she offered antique furniture and American crafts. She enjoyed eleven years of serving customers and traveling at home and abroad in the search for inventory for the busy store.
Her grandchildren and other young family members were her focus in her later life. Connie was able to instill in them an excitement for art, history, theatre, and the natural world. Her grandchildren say that their time spent with “May,” a loving name created by her granddaughter Cassie, played a large part in becoming the people they are today.
For service time and information, please visit kelleyspaldingfuneralhome.com
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the COPD Foundation in Connie’s honor, and if you encounter someone in your life who needs a leg up, be generous with your time and resources in Connie’s honor.
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