Obituary: Constance Farren Short, 91, formerly of Guilford

Obituary courtesy of Guilford Funeral Home:

Constance Farren Short, age 91, of Lexington MA died on December 21, 2021. She was predeceased by her husband Thomas and her infant son, Joseph. She is survived by three daughters and four sons: Barbara (Eric Weston) of Glenridge NJ, Sarah Short (Aaron Kitzmiller) of Arlington MA, Emily Patel of Lexington MA, Thomas (Cynthia) of West Orange NJ, Peter (Jennifer Mason McLaughlin) of Danville CA, James Tobias (Kelly Greer) of Marietta GA and Douglas (Laura) of Reston VA, seventeen grandchildren and one great grandson.

Constance was born on May 2, 1930, in New Haven CT, daughter of George and Claire (Kennedy) Farren. Constance graduated from Albertus Magnus College in 1951 and Southern Connecticut University in 1954 and began her teaching career in Hamden and Guilford, CT. She was married in 1955 in Fakenham England and taught with the United States Air Force and Royal Air Force in England. Constance moved to Montclair, NJ in 1958 where she raised her children and resumed her teaching in the Montclair public schools.

Constance had a lifelong love for teaching and education, earning the respect from those she taught and worked with. She served on many educational committees, volunteered with the Montclair Women’s club, the Teachers club and mentored many students. She loved English, was known for her diverse literary knowledge, her ability to recite poetry, and her passion for spelling and grammar. She was affectionately known as “Connie” by her peers, and respectfully known as “Mrs. Short” by her students. After she retired from Montclair public schools she continued teaching at Katherine Gibbs Business School.

She and Tom retired to Guilford, Connecticut in 2006. She continued to teach as a substitute teacher in the Guilford school system into her 80s.

Constance, called “Tossie'' by her family and closest friends, was the second eldest of seven sisters. She is predeceased by her sisters, Lois Flesche (Branford, CT) and Robin Earle (Guilford, CT); and survived by her sisters Jean Farren Jones (Tiburon, CA), Suzanne Szanto (West Orange, NJ), Carolyn Farren (Larkspur, CA) and Georgianna Farren (Larkspur, CA). She has cousins, nieces, nephews, grand nieces and nephews whom she loved dearly. Constance is also survived by her brother in law, Paul Short (Willie) of Newark, Delaware.

Constance loved reading, poetry, opera, seafood, overbidding a bridge hand, the NY Times crossword puzzle and socializing with family and friends. She also loved the Kentucky Derby and would host annual parties. Her life was filled with many proud moments from taking a young student from Montclair to the National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C. to reading her selected poem submission to the Arlington Heights MA Neighborhood Haiku at her daughters’ cafe at 91 years old. She is remembered for her kindness and ability to make everyone she knew feel special.

A service will be held at St George Church in Guilford CT to be announced later when family and friends can gather and celebrate Constance’s life.