Constance Wamsley Obituary-07/31/2014

Constance (Connie) Wamsley, daughter of Madeline and Winfield Clark, was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, May 10, 1924, and died July 23, 2014.

She grew up in Canistota, S.D., where she graduated from high school in 1942.  In 1946, she received her B. A. in English from the College of St. Catherine, in St. Paul, Minn.  After graduating, she taught English and speech at Parker High in South Dakota for one year.

On August 18, 1947, she and Francis Wamsley were married at St. Mary’s Church in Salem, S.D.  They settled in Spokane, Wash. where Francis completed his college education at Gonzaga University.  With their first two children, Mary and Dennis, they moved to Charlo, where Fran joined his father in the G. W. Wamsley General Merchandise business.  Three more children, Madeline, Maureen, and Mark, joined the family there.

In 1960, Connie returned to teaching at Charlo High School where she taught until 1965.  While in Charlo, she was active in the D’Aste Women’s Club, the Charlo Garden Club, and the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women.

When Fran and Connie moved to Sidney, Mont., in 1965, she continued her career as an English and speech teacher, forensics coach and Dean of Girls until her retirement in 1983.  She was an active member of Delta Kappa Gamma in Sidney and Polson from 1968 until 1995.

After their retirement, the Wamsleys lived on the South Shore of Flathead Lake at Polson in the summer and in Tucson, Ariz. in the winter. Most recently she lived in Billings, Mont.

Connie was preceded in death by her husband Fran, her parents, Madeline and Winfield Clark, her stepfather, Maynard Hack, her sister, Margaret Davidson and grandson Joshua Wamsley.

Survivors include sister-in-law Mary Margaret Wamsley, daughters Mary (Bonnie) Wamsley, Madeline Cooper, and Maureen (Clinton) Filler, sons Dennis (Nancy) Wamsley and Mark Wamsley, 15 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren.