Connie Britt passed away on March 6, 2024, at age 99. She was born into the Crandall family in Kalamazoo, Michigan, joining older sister Genevieve in what would be a close sibling friendship lasting a lifetime.
Growing up for Connie was a happy time. Her family weathered the Depression as did all Americans but still managed to vacation at the lake. Connie was a good student, intelligent and vivacious. She graduated with a degree in Economics from Kalamazoo College. Sadly, her father passed away during her final year.
Connie met her future husband, Max Holt Britt, while working a summer job at a lakeside resort. The couple waited to become engaged until after Max had safely returned from WWII. Meanwhile Connie went to work for United Airlines.
Connie and Max married in 1946. Max hailed from the Britt family, well known in ranching and horse racing circles in New Mexico and Texas. They moved to Pasamonte, the family ranch in Union County, New Mexico, working in tandem to create the ranch infrastructure and start their family. Their first child was son Michael, followed by daughter Kimberly.
By this time Max had suffered a heart attack and the young family decided to move from the family ranch to Los Angeles, where Max became a sought-after horse trainer, racing primarily at Santa Anita and Del Mar racetracks. By all accounts the couple had a good life during this time, making frequent trips to Las Vegas, entertaining friends and clients at their home in Arcadia, and spending much of each summer in La Jolla.
In 1966, Max succumbed to another heart attack. Widowed at the age of 40 with two young children, Connie made the decision to move the family from Los Angeles to Lubbock, Texas, where her sister Genevieve lived with her husband.
In Lubbock, Connie became involved with confirmation dog shows. Before the family left Los Angeles, she had gotten a Norwegian Elkhound. This dog turned out to be quite a specimen, and Connie was approached about breeding and showing the dog. This turned into a hobby for the next two decades, first with Norwegian Elkhounds followed by Finnish Spitz, before finally adopting her first and only rescue dog Roomie.
During the height of the dog shows, Connie moved to Denver, then in the mid-1980s she moved to Austin, where she lived for the remainder of her life. Connie was also involved with the League of Women Voters and began to sharpen her bridge-playing skills, which only improved as she aged. Connie enjoyed music all her life (cutting her own demo recording as a teenager), especially big band music; once she moved to Austin, she quickly found kindred spirits in support of the Austin Symphony.
In the early ‘80s she took a trip with her daughter to Europe – 13 countries in 27 days! That trip sparked an insatiable travel appetite for the next 40 years. Connie visited all seven continents, several more than once, including five trips to her favorite destination – Africa.
In 2008 she discovered the island of Salt Spring in British Columbia and promptly set up a summer residence schedule. She made fast friends with her love of bridge, fishing, and nature. Nothing was more fun to Connie than taking the ferry over to Duncan and then driving herself to Nanaimo for a day of shopping. In her 100th year she was able to spend 10 weeks in her Canadian home, bird watching and reading a novel a day.
Constance was a mother, a sister, a wife, an adventurer, and an avid bridge player – a life well lived for over 99 years. She is survived by her daughter Kim, her son Mike (Anne), her granddaughter Winter and her great-grandson Robert (son of Melanie and Brandon; granddaughter Melanie predeceased her).
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to Central Texas Food Bank or your favorite charity. A private celebration of life will be held at a later date.