Connie Molecke

1946 - 2023

Connie Molecke



Constance

(Connie) Molecke was born in 1946 and lived to be 77. She enjoyed a very loving marriage of 51+ years with Martin Molecke, who preceded her in death in 2022. She will be deeply missed her wonderful sons Greg and Ryan, her loving daughter-in-law Lesley, and her cherished granddaughters Tigerlily and Rose. She will also be missed by sisters Chris Posin (Tom), Cynthia Hatch King, Sarah Hatch Knaub (Jon), brother Fred T. Hatch (Maureen). Remembering her will also be a wonderful bunch of Hatch nephews and nieces, as well as Connie's sister-in-law Sandy Davis and all the wonderful Molecke and Davis nieces and nephews. She gives thanks for the lives of her mother Florence Hatch (now deceased,) her father Fred D. Hatch (now deceased), and to his second wife Betty Hatch who is thankfully still living.

Growing up is Parma Ohio, she liked to explore the city of Cleveland and was an excellent tree climber. Her favorite place to hang out was the Downtown library but she was constantly losing books and bus passes and keys etc. so she began a lifelong effort to become organized. She attended Bowling Green State University, married Marty in 1968 and got her Master's degree from the University of Pittsburgh while he got his PH.D. from Carnegie Mellon.

As a Speech Language Pathologist, Connie worked in Pittsburgh until they moved to Albuquerque in 1976. She cried all the way to New Mexico but became a converted New Mexican after her first green chili chicken enchiladas and three days of sunshine. She worked at Albuquerque Public Schools: Belhaven ES, McCullum ES and retired from Mark Twain ES. (Interestingly, she attended first grade at Mark Twain ES of Cleveland Ohio.)

Many of her best friends were from a group called the Sandia Wives Club. As a card-carrying member (and local leader) of the National Organization of Women, initially she was not going to join a "wives club." But somehow the name of the group became "The Sandians" shortly after she become the group president. She and Marty became part of this wonderful group of friends who became as close as family. She hopes they will remember her when enjoying the monthly gourmet club after-dinner chocolates.

While volunteering, Connie eventually realized that she could not solve all the world's problems but could make a difference in some things. She was a founder of the Albuquerque Women's Network and Union Representative at APS, and could constantly be seen lobbying in Santa Fe. She was active in the New Mexico Autism Society and served as President and in every board position, for over 20 years. She was the founder of the Ellen Reavis Race for Autism in 2006, and was one of the founders of Camp Rising Sun for children with autism which existed from 2006 to 2017. After retiring from APS, she volunteered with ReadWest and The New Mexico Coalition for Reproductive Choice. A woman's right to choose was of vital importance to Connie, and she volunteered her time transporting women from the Albuquerque airport to area clinics when they could not access crucial care in their home states. Sometimes, she offered comforting conversation to these women, and sometimes she offered comforting silence â€" whatever they most needed.

Connie also knew how to have a good time: she visited dozens of countries, crafted many beautiful quilts, made drawers of beautiful fused-glass jewelry, Zumba'd to all the dance tunes, and threw uncountable parties, including monthly gourmet dinners with her closest friends.

First Unitarian Church of ABQ was an important part of Connie's life and she made many deep friendships there. She joined as a young mother, and as her sons started their own lives she felt a deeper pull to the church -- not just for the comfort of being with people that believed many of the things that she did, but for the stimulation of her heart and mind about those things that matter in life. She especially loved the women of her book group.

Connie served as the director of the church's English as a Second Language classes. Under her direction, the program tutored nearly 100 people over more than 8 years, offering free childcare during class to ensure students with children could attend. Most students were Spanish speakers, but recently the classes grew to include refugees from war-torn countries, many of whom are women in their thirties and forties who have never been to school in any country, much less the United States. In addition to the ESL program, Connie also spearheaded Citizenship classes for 4 years, which have helped nearly 40 people pass the citizenship test and become naturalized citizens. She rejoiced in attending many Naturalization ceremonies. In addition to helping people prepare for the citizenship test, in 2017, Connie started a fundraising effort to cover the high cost of the Citizenship Application Fee for enrolled students. When the church participated offering asylum and sheltering refugees, Connie â€" all 5 feet of her -- volunteered to spend nights at the church to help face down any illegal round-ups that might be attempted.

Although Connie's work making the world a better, more-just place remains unfinished, Connie did achieve her goal of becoming organized. She left behind detailed plans for her final wishes, which included donating viable organs, making donations to her favorite charities, and celebrating her life with sweet treats.

Please join us on Saturday, November 11, 2023 at 3 pm at First Unitarian Universalist Church, 3701 Carlisle Blvd. Albuquerque, New Mexico 87111 to celebrate the life of this extraordinary woman. Connie would be thrilled to know we will follow her service with a dessert bar. She loved a good party, and wanted all her friends and family to fete her in the end.