Constance "Keck" Hughes

Rev. Constance Keck Hughes

Rev. Connie Keck Hughes, 76, went to be with the Lord on January 28, 2026 at the Good Samaritan Hospice House after a long battle with Alzheimer's. She passed peacefully with a prayer cross in hand and her husband, Bob, at her side.

Connie touched the hearts of everyone who knew her, with a gift for making others feel seen, known, and loved in her presence. When you spoke with Connie, you came away with the feeling that she was genuinely interested and cared about you - she treasured every connection. Even when words became difficult due to Alzheimer's, her desire to connect never faded. Connie's joy was contagious; she had the best laugh, with a dry, witty sense of humor that made you feel like you were sharing an inside joke. She was pure magic.

Connie was the best mom to her two daughters, Jess and Corey, and the most devoted Nonnie to her seven grandkids - Edward "Teddy", Sophya, KB, Maddie, Charlie, Emma, and Henry Breedlove - who she cherished immensely. She delighted in their interests and was their most loyal cheerleader, supporter, and friend. She was a strong, dependable, grounded presence who they could "run away from home" to at any time or talk to about anything and knew they would receive a warm hug, unconditional love, sage advice, and a tasty snack. Every family event Connie hosted featured her trademark "yummy drinks," blue cheese dip with Ruffles, and mint chocolate chip sundaes ("green, so it's healthy"). In the quieter moments, she loved playing her favorite iPad games - Wrecking Crew, Plants vs. Zombies, Spyder Solitaire, and 40 Thieves - a joy she shared with her kids and grandkids.

Throughout her one-of-a-kind life, Connie wore many titles, including teacher, counselor, priest, artist, writer, friend, wife, mother, and "Nonnie". Born May 5, 1949, Connie grew up in Edgewood, and after attending Skidmore College, she worked in the Pittsburgh mayor's office, at a Boston newspaper, as an event coordinator at Wolf Trap National Park for Performing Arts in Virginia, and taught middle school English and History, before settling back down in Pittsburgh to raise her daughters with her first husband, Sandy.

Connie's warm heart led her to get a Masters in Counseling from Duquesne University. She was an early proponent of EMDR, working as a counselor for 13 years and becoming deeply involved at St. Stephens Church in Sewickley and the women's shelter in Washington, PA. Despite the onset of Alzheimer's, Connie continued to give of herself, counseling nearly 400 nurses and doctors for 3 years during COVID-19.

After years of walking alongside others through their pain, Connie developed a deep reverence for spiritual wisdom and felt called toward spiritual ministry. She earned a Master of Divinity from Trinity Seminary in Ambridge, trading in her jewelry collection to afford the program. She became a Deacon in the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh and then a Priest in 2011, serving for 11 years at Christ Church Fox Chapel, and was a loyal attendant until she passed. She was the only person who could ever turn Plants vs. Zombies into an inspiring sermon.

Connie helped others find beauty in everything they saw, heard, and experienced. She loved the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and listening to her grandson's rap music. She connected deeply with nature, felt freest riding her horse Topper, and cherished time spent with loved ones at her family Farm.

She was also an incredibly talented fiber artist, with hundreds of completed pieces, and traditional works featured in Rug Hooking Magazine. When meeting new people, with a twinkle in her eye, she'd boldly tell them she was a hooker-then pause and say, "a RUG hooker". She would greet yarn shopkeepers with conversation or flowers from her garden, marveling at the colors in the store and whispering "isn't that beautiful" as if she were witnessing heaven itself. Within her rug-hooking community, Connie revered the storytelling capacity of art and felt privileged to witness others' personal stories take shape through something as simple as dyed wool.

Connie spent her final years adoring her husband, Bob. Connie and Bob had each lost their first spouses to cancer, and having gone to high school together in Edgewood, they reconnected at a high school reunion. They married in 2020, and shared five years of love and adventure, highlighted by visits to Phipps, hot air balloon rides, hawk watching, museums, and enjoying each other's company with countless moments of joy. Most afternoons, you could find her curled up in her recliner napping with her loyal dogs, Skylar, Bear, and Rhett.

Connie will be remembered for her deep wisdom, huge heart, endless patience, fantastic cooking, contagious joy, unwavering love and support, and lifelong dedication to improving the lives of everyone around her. She was greatly loved by her husband, family, friends, church, and above all by her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, with whom she will live eternally.

Connie is reunited in heaven with her first husband Edward "Sandy" Everett Hughes III, her parents Henrietta Law and Fredrick Keck, and her sister Diane Osbon. She is survived by her husband Robert "Bob" H. Riesmeyer, her daughters Jessica Davis Hughes and Corinne Law Hughes, her seven grandchildren, her brothers Fredrick D. (Sydnee) Keck and Clifford (Cindy) Keck, her sister Allison (Andy) Kimball, Bob's sons Daniel (Lisa) and Timothy, and a host of cherished relatives and friends, who all loved her deeply.

Family and friends will be received on Tuesday, February 10, 2026 from 9 AM until time of service at 10 AM at Christ Church Fox Chapel, 410 Christ Church Ln., Pittsburgh, PA 15238. Reception to follow afterwards. Arrangements entrusted to English Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Inc., 378 Maryland Ave., Oakmont, PA 15139. Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association (www.alz.org) or Connie's church (www.christchurchfoxchapel.org).