Constance (Connie) Villani

Constance “Connie” Villani, 69, passed away on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, under the compassionate care of the Four Seasons Hospice team at the Elizabeth House in Flat Rock, North Carolina. Connie was born on May 20, 1954, the daughter of Carl and Frieda Vivlamore. She grew up in East Meadow, Long Island, and earned her BSN from Molloy University. It was at East Meadow High where she met and started dating her future husband, Mike, in 1971. They spent their summers surfing and sunbathing at Jones Beach and heading into “the city” to attend concerts and Broadway shows. Early in their relationship, Connie became an honorary Italian, as her future in-laws Concetta and Salvatore treated and loved her like their own daughter and introduced her to day-long meals. Connie and Mike married in 1980, while Mike was earning his PhD at NC State University. During this time, Connie supported her husband as an oncology nurse at Duke Hospital. In 1985 Connie, Mike, and their daughter Sara moved to Geneva, NY where Mike worked at Cornell University’s New York State Agricultural Experiment Station. Their family was completed in 1986 with the birth of their second daughter, Kate. Until Mike’s death from pancreatic cancer in 2001, their marriage was a true partnership aimed at ensuring their children grew up surrounded by support, security, and love. Their home, stocked with Fruit Rollups, and all the latest Nintendo systems and American Girl accessories, served as a hangout for her children and their friends. Connie worked weekends at Clifton Springs Hospital and later worked as an oncology nurse at the Finger Lakes Community Cancer Center where her compassionate and empathetic approach to patient care helped bring some ease to families during times when they were at their most vulnerable. While Connie adored her patients and co-workers, there was little she enjoyed more than cheering on her daughters at their soccer and softball games. From her “magic” rocks to occasionally displaying her “Long Island Attitude” to umpires, her daughters always were aware their number one fan was there for support. While the loss of her husband left a tremendous absence in her heart, Connie found joy in the years following his death with the births of her granddaughters, Molly (age 5) and Claire (age 3). She would spend hours in the yard throwing tennis balls and giving the best belly rubs to her puppy Kullen, and her grand-dogs Emmitt, Allie, and Dewey. She also rediscovered her love for concerts attending several Moody Blues performances, America, and the highlight of her life-the Rolling Stones in 2021. Connie is survived by her daughter, Sara Villani, of Arden NC with whom she lived with since 2019, her daughter Kate, son-in-law Justin, and granddaughters, Molly and Claire Vollenweider all of St. Augustine Florida, her mother- and father-in-law, Connie and Sal Villani of East Meadow, NY, and her Aunt Diane and Uncle Donald Divney of Croton-on-the-Hudson, NY. Additionally, we’d like to thank her Hillcrest Ave. neighbor, Ermie Wooster, who always made sure Connie had a friend to talk to and to wave at through the kitchen window. In following Connie’s wishes, there will be no services. However, we ask you to take the time to gently encourage a family member or friend to get their recommended cancer screenings. As Connie said after her first and last colonoscopy at age 69, “Well that was a lot easier than I would have ever thought I should have done it sooner.” Kate and Sara were so incredibly thankful for the compassionate hospice care and attention that they and their mom received at the Four Seasons’s Elizabeth House that they request any donations in lieu of flowers be sent to this incredible non-profit organization: (https://fourseasonsfdn.org/).

Constance (Connie) Villani

May 20, 1954 - March 26, 2024