Mr. Lawrence Anthony Constance

Lawrence Anthony Constance 59 transitioned on August 23, 2022. Born February 1, 1963
in Roswell, New Mexico he was a son of the late Edward Anthony Constance and Doris Scott Constance. He Graduated from Miami Southridge Senior High School in 1981. Mr. Constance in 1996, moved to Teaneck and formerly resided in Englewood, New Jersey and was a musician at Christ Episcopal Church, in Hackensack, New Jersey. He was the president of the Bergen Chess Mates chess club. After retiring, he moved to Columbia, South Carolina. He was a graduate of Shenandoah College where he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music Education. He also completed Graduate work at the University of Connecticut and University of Hartford's Hartt School of Music. After finishing at the Hartt School of Music, he had a variety of administrative professional positions in Hartford, Connecticut. He took on a church organist/choir master position for a year at United Methodist Church in 1997/1998. He then took a similar position at a Lutheran Church a year later and stayed there for several years. While at the Lutheran Church, where he met individuals who were active in a local choral society and volunteered to sing with that group for a concert of Handel's "Messiah." When the conductor was hospitalized a few weeks before the concert, Lawrence learned the full orchestral score and conducted the concert himself, to great success. The following year, he conducted "Gloria" by John Rutter, again to great success.
After he left the Lutheran Church position, he decided to revisit a childhood passion of his -- chess.
He joined a local chess club and after several years, took on the role of club president. During his tenure at the chess club, he moved the club's meeting place from a school cafeteria to a church basement, allowing the club to give out cash prizes for tournament wins. This helped to vastly increase the club's membership. Through the chess club, he offered, and taught, chess classes for junior high and high school students, having as many as 30 students at any one time. He found administrative professional jobs in New York City. Unfortunately, because of back issues, he ended up not working in the mid-2000's. He was employed as a church Musician, a Vocalist, Pianist, Organist, Choir Director and Composer. These are a few of his musical compositions: Song and Prayer of Birds,(for Soprano and Piano) text by Thomas H. Troeger Kyrie Eleison (for Soprano and Piano) A Song of Solomon (for Soprano and Piano) The Lord is my Shepherd (Psalm 23) (for Soprano and Piano). Another passion of his was composing music. As an organist, he would frequently play prelude and postludes pieces that he was making up on the spot. He composed pieces for string quartets and small brass ensembles. He preferred writing for singers and wrote several exquisite solos which his wife was delighted to perform in church on various occasions. He also wrote pieces for choirs. He was an avid reader and particularly enjoyed reading science fiction novels.
About 10 years ago, he decided that he wanted to study to be a paralegal and signed up for classes through Bryant & Stratton online. He completed his Associate of Applied Science in Paralegal Studies in 2017 and was initiated as a member of the Bryant Stratton College - Kappa Rho of the Alpha Beta Gamma honor society. At least one of his final papers "A pleading" is now being used as teaching material at Bryant & Stratton. He had begun working on a bachelor's degree in Paralegal Studies through National Paralegal but needed to focus on his health and never completed the requirements for the degree.
He also enjoyed building model airplanes -- not the plastic sets that you simply snap together but rather the old-fashioned kind made out of balsa wood, requiring much patience and a lot of time. Unfortunately, he never completed his model airplanes.
Those left to cherish precious memories are his wife of 29 years Bianca; Brother; Dale Constance and a Sister-in-Law Susana Constance.
Memorial Donations may be made to the local Chess Club.
Columbia Chess Club
Donation link a href="https://columbiachess.org/donate">https://columbiachess.org/donateJames Brandmair at:
214 Wilton Hill Rd
Columbia, SC 29212