Constance Lee "Connie" Pettinger

We mourn the passing of Constance (Connie) Lee Brainard Pettinger, who died from the effects of Alzheimer's disease on September 10, 2025 in her home at Shenandoah Valley Westminster-Canterbury in Winchester, Virginia. She is survived by Larry, her devoted husband of 53 years, and several cousins.

Connie was born on March 8, 1939, in Middletown, New York and was the only daughter of caring parents Sharla and Carleton Brainard. She grew up in Binghamton, New York, where she was surrounded by loving aunts and uncles. Connie made lifelong friends in elementary, junior high, high school, and college.

She received a B.A. degree in Psychology from the University of Rochester (New York) in 1961 and worked there after graduation in the admissions recruitment and selection program and as director of a residence hall program for 350 women students.

An opportunity to enroll in the Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, California, took her to the West Coast for new adventures. Her M.A. degree in Education, specializing in College Student Personnel Administration, prepared her to find an exciting position as an Assistant Dean of Students at the University of California, Berkeley. These were the turbulent times of the Free Speech Movement at the University in the 1960s. As one of the younger staff members, she often served as a bridge between the university administration and the student activists of the day.

Connie met her husband-to-be Larry when he became her neighbor in an apartment building in Oakland. Larry was completing a Master's degree at the University, but it was unlikely that they would ever have met on campus. They married in Berkeley on April 8, 1972. Larry's first job after graduate school took them to Washington D.C., where he worked for an environmental consulting company. They moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota in 1975, where Larry became a remote sensing scientist at the U.S. Geological Survey's new Earth-observation satellite data center.

Connie's passion for caring for and helping others blossomed in Sioux Falls when she became the director of the Senior Companion Program, a Federally funded demonstration program that recruited low-income seniors to assist homebound clients with companionship and support. Her role was especially challenging in those days, as women were not often given such leadership roles in this region.

Larry transferred to the U.S. Geological Survey's headquarters in Reston, Virginia, in 1982. Connie became the Executive Director of Reston Interfaith Inc. (now known as Cornerstones), which was at the time a small non-profit social service agency serving low-income and homeless people. Connie's management skills and caring approach to her work helped the organization grow significantly, expanding the supply of affordable housing in the area. She brought together a diverse network of faith-based organizations, corporate partners, government agencies, donors, advocates, and volunteers who were deeply committed to strengthening and supporting families and individuals in need who lived and worked in northwest Fairfax County. The Embry Rucker Community Shelter opened in 1987. The Laurel Learning Center, a developmental day care center, expanded its programs and its Infant and Toddler Center was named for Connie. In recognition of her leadership, Connie was awarded a "Best of Reston" Award for Distinguished Community Service in 1997 by the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce and Reston Interfaith. She retired from her position in 2000.

Affiliation with churches where they lived has been a sustaining part of Connie and Larry's marriage. They were both active in several ministries at St. Anne's Episcopal Church in Reston and now belong to Christ Episcopal Church in Winchester.

Travel has taken them around the United States and to Europe, Asia, and South America. They honeymooned in Carmel, California, and developed a great love for the central California coast, making annual trips there throughout their married life. They combined their love of that area with their appreciation of art, collecting many plein aire oil paintings of coastal scenes from favorite artists.

Connie played the violin as a young person, and was involved in choral groups in high school and college. She enjoyed a wide variety of music, including classical, folk, and bluegrass. She and Larry were always looking for a special concert that they could attend together.

After researching several life care communities on the east and west coasts, Connie and Larry moved to Shenandoah Valley Westminster-Canterbury in 2015. They quickly settled in, and Connie enjoyed welcoming newcomers to SVWC. She served on the Welcome Committee, mentored new residents, and enjoyed being a host at marketing events and dinners. Her family is thankful for the many friends and all the SVWC staff who supported Connie in recent years, as she faced the challenges of her memory loss.

A service in celebration of and thanksgiving for Connie's life will be held in the Chapel at Shenandoah Valley Westminster-Canterbury on Thursday, October 16, 2025, at 11:00 am. A reception will follow.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Memory Support Fund of the Shenandoah Valley Westminster-Canterbury Foundation (300 Westminster-Canterbury Drive, Winchester Virginia, 22603; www.svwc.org/s/foundation) or to a charity of your choice.