Born on November 21, 1948, in Cuba, she was a daughter of Melvin and Pearl Dalaba Smith, Sr.

Connie was a graduate of Cuba Central School and the Continental Beauty School.

While her daughter was young, she was a stay-at-home mother. After her daughter started grade school, she went to work for AVX in Olean where she held various positions before retiring in 2013 after 36 years of employment.

She liked to do daily crossword puzzles, solitaire on her phone, and play the card game skip bo. Watching Wheel of Fortune on television while talking to her brother on the telephone was a nightly ritual that couldn’t be interrupted.

Connie is survived by 2 grandchildren, Elizabeth M. (Ian Wojcik) Karnes of Ceres and Emily J. Karnes of Lewis Run; her great grandchildren Alex, Kayleigh, Wendy, Jensen, Jaxsen, Izabella, and Jordan; 4 brothers, Royal “Sunny” Smith, Melvin (Donna) Smith, Jr., Marty (Luanne) Smith, all of Cuba and Asher Smith of Wellsville; 1 sister, Diana Whitcher of Cuba and several nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, she was predeceased her daughter Wendy J. Smith-Karnes on April 26, 2008, a brother John Howard and 4 sisters Ida Carey, Verna Warner, Eva Willets, and Joann Lee.

Friends will be received at the Mark F. Rinker Funeral Home & Memorial Service, Inc., 9 Bull Street Cuba on Saturday, December 17, 2022 from 11:00 A.M. until 1:00 P.M. at which time funeral services will be held. Pastor Claudia Little will officiate.

Burial will be next to her daughter in Cuba Cemetery, Cuba, New York.