To the family
Dear family lam sorry to hear that passed of dear mom Shirley she was such a nice
Lady lam thinking of you all
Ida
JONES, Conchita (Connie)
1933 - 2023
Conchita (Connie) Jones, born Perello
July 23, 1933 - May 4, 2023
Conchita (Connie) passed peacefully, on May 4th, in her 90th year in New Liskeard, Ontario.
She will be deeply missed, but there is comfort in knowing she had a full life and her positive influence carries on.
Conchita was born in Timmins, Ontario, to Isabel and Vicente Perello, who had come from Spain to create a new life farming in Canada. Our mother was exceedingly proud of her Valencian heritage.
Conchita graduated from the Commercial program at Timmins High and Vocational School in 1951. She then obtained employment at Taylor Hardware in Timmins, where a charming coworker by the name of Ray Jones caught her eye. She invited Ray to a Sadie Hawkins dance, and within the year (1955) they were married. They raised their 3 children Brian, David, and Shirley in Timmins. Connie capably took care of the household responsibilities, supporting Ray in his career as Manager of the Canadian Tire Store.
In 1977 the family moved to New Liskeard where they built a new home and happily lived for the next 45 years to the present. As other houses sprouted up, our parents were surrounded by many wonderful neighbours, many became dear friends and treated them as family. To all, we wish to extend our heartfelt gratitude.
Our mother enjoyed traveling. Trips to Spain were among the highlights of her life. Upon Ray's retirement in 1986 they embarked on over two decades of road trips across North America. She documented each in volumes of scrapbooks, and once her RV days were over, continued to relive and savor the good times.
Conchita had the rare ability to delight in everyday pleasures. Whether picking fresh breakfast blueberries from the front yard of our cottage on Kenogamissi Lake, or analyzing hands from the previous night's duplicate bridge, or digesting newspapers and magazines cover to cover, or mastering a new tai chi move, she enthusiastically engaged in all that she did.
Connie was a keen volunteer, offering her time and talents to numerous causes, and most notably, was a core member of the Temiskaming Hospital Auxiliary for over 40 years. As treasurer, she balanced the books without aid of a calculator. “It keeps my brain in shape”, she would say. She was right.
Family was important to our Mom. She treasured time with grandkids and great-grandkids, delighting in their adventures and accomplishments.
Until the final weeks of her life our mother enjoyed good health and thrived in her home. Well into her 80’s, she continued to prefer getting around town by biking or walking, and she relished the hours spent maintaining her beautiful yard.
Her trademark bright smile was contagious. Connie always focused on the best in people, and her lifelong optimism carried her through to the end. After suffering a debilitating stroke, she commented “I’m lucky, there wasn’t really much to that!". Despite her positive attitude, she was not able to recover. She passed comfortably with family at her side, and with her in spirit, from afar.
Connie was predeceased in 2022 by Ray, her husband of 67 years, and also by brother Frank, and daughter-in-law Deborah.
Conchita remains in the hearts of family: Children Brian (Deborah) of Timmins, David (late wife Deborah) of Nelson, BC, Shirley of North Bay; grandchildren Lindsay (Shaun), Michael (Kaytea), Adam (Meghan), Cole, Alanah (Adele), Adrian (Vyana), Félix (Leah), Marcus (Julia); and great grandchildren Grace, Charlotte, Isla, and Beau. Conchita is also survived by her brother Sam (Liz), and nieces and nephews of the Perello, Noguera, and Jones families.
Our family would like to acknowledge the Temiskaming Hospital staff. We experienced nothing but competence and kindness from all. A special thank you to the nursing team, and Drs. Corneil, Morency, Corbeil, and Corbin.
There will be no service as per our Mom's request. If you would like to make a donation in her memory, the Temiskaming Foundation's Alexa Corneil Fund, and the Temiskaming Hospital Auxiliary are causes that were close to her heart.