Connie Gonyea

Connie (Breitfelder) Gonyea made the journey into the arms of Jesus on Thursday, July 27, after 78 faith-filled years. She was known for finding several things to be important: Her faith, her family, Husker athletics, ice cream, and golfing.

Connie was born in Hastings, NE on April 1, 1945 to Vincent and Georgia (Burt) Breitfelder. At the age of 33, Connie answered God's call to live a life of incredible service. She went back to school to earn her Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Speech and was a pitcher on the softball team at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, all while raising four children. In 2001, she was inducted into the Nebraska Softball Hall of Fame. Connie was a teacher and coach for Oakland-Craig Public Schools and Plattsmouth High School for several years. Connie later worked for the State of Nebraska in Child Protective Services for a time, and was an Independent Beauty Consultant with Mary Kay for 20+ years, enriching women's lives.

Connie is preceded in death by her parents Vincent Breitfelder and Georgia (Burt) Breitfelder and her brother Phillip Breitfelder.

She is survived by her four children, Angie (Gonyea) Jorgensen and James Jonathan Jorgensen, Wayne Gonyea Jr, and Wende (Spiegel) Gonyea, Tammy (Gonyea) Hetherington and Mike Hetherington, and Joe Gonyea and Rebecca (Goracke) Gonyea, and nine grandchildren, Alexis (Streeks) DuRee and Dalton DuRee, Garrett Streeks, Wayne Gonyea III, Mattison Hogrefe, Clara Hetherington, James Joshua Jorgensen, Emma Hetherington, Jay Justin Jorgensen, and Noah Gonyea.

Please do not send flowers to Good Shepherd Funeral Home as they will not be transporting. Memorials may go to the Mary Kay Ash Foundation for cancer research at marykayashfoundation.org.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at Christ Lincoln Church at 4325 Sumner Street in Lincoln, Nebraska on Saturday, August 12, at 11:00 a.m. Please feel free to wear bright colors, Connie certainly loved them.

But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:31