Cornelia Asbury

Asbury (Holden), Cornelia H. "Connie"

Cornelia H. (Connie) Asbury, age 98, died after a short illness on October 3, 2025. Connie was born in Greensboro, North Carolina, and although she moved to the Cincinnati area at the age of four, she always considered North Carolina to be her spiritual home. Connie grew up on a farm in then rural Fairfield in a family of ten siblings during the Great Depression and World War II eras. She and her older brothers and sisters went to work immediately after high school, with her three older brothers also serving in the armed forces during the war. Connie married her high school sweetheart, John Hunter. In 1943 John went into Army Air Force training. He was killed in action on a bombing mission in 1945. Connie returned to Cincinnati and entered nursing school at Deaconess Hospital. Connie was introduced to her future husband, Taylor "Tuck" Asbury by mutual friends. They married in 1950 and had seventy-one wonderful years together, enjoying baseball, bridge, horse racing, golf, and the company of many good friends throughout their lives.

Connie and Tuck had five daughters who, despite their current ages of 65-74 are often referred to by family friends as the "Asbury girls." She instilled in them a love of nature and music, as well as a sense of responsibility for family and the larger community. In addition to her nursing training, Connie went on to earn a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and Master's Degree in Education which enabled her to teach clinical nursing at Jewish Hospital for many years. Connie made many contributions to civic life, serving as Board Chair of the Better Housing League and United Home Care, and as a longstanding board member of the Visiting Nurses Association, and Maple Knoll Village. She was a founder of the Housing for Older Americans Coalition, which advocated for changes in zoning laws and Medicaid benefits to enable seniors to continue living in their own homes.

Connie was predeceased by her parents Archie L. and Mary Elizabeth Holden, her husband Taylor Asbury, M.D., and by her sisters and brothers, Evelyn (Fitz Gillespie) Virginia (Larry Lloyd Sr.), William (Dorothy) Holden, Arch (Jean) Holden, Henry (Eileen) Holden, John (Peggy) Holden, Roger Holden, her son-in-law Christopher Rowe, and brother-in-law Arthur K. Asbury M.D.

Connie is remembered by her five daughters, six grandchildren and her two great grandchildren for her love and positive support throughout their lives. She was a mom to her dying day, reassuring us all that she had lived a very good life. Watching Reds baseball and listening to music sustained Connie in her later years. She had a song to sing for every occasion.

Connie is survived by her daughters Mary (Bob Newman), Janet (Michael Pogue) Helen (the late Christopher Rowe), Carolyn (Peter Ranney), and Anne (Anzie), her grandchildren Sarah Pogue, Christopher Pogue (Chantal Dubois), Liza Newman, Foster Ranney, Allison (Alex) Baggott-Rowe and John Rowe, and her great grandchildren Eleanor and Rousseau, her sister Norma (Leo) Dean, brother Dick (Brenda) Holden, sisters-in-law Elizabeth (Lib) Stone and Carolyn H. Asbury, and many nieces and nephews. The family thanks the loving caregivers who played music and watched 162 Reds baseball games every season with Connie-Mechelle Crutchfield, Gwen Copenhaver, Beth Nelson and Dajanai Irvin, and extends their special gratitude to Tiffany Tate for her more than thirteen years of loving care.

Memorial contributions may be made to the University of Cincinnati Foundation, Taylor Asbury M.D. Ophthalmology Development Fund or Christopher C. Rowe M.D. Endowment in Geriatric Psychiatry, or the Legal Aid Society of Cincinnati.

Connie's memorial service will be at the Hyde Park Community United Methodist Church, Grace and Observatory Avenues on October 13, visitation with the family at 10:00 a.m. Memorial service at 11:00. Spring Grove Funeral Home serving the family.