CARIBOU – Constance Louise Albair, 52, died in Tucson, Ariz. of pancreatic cancer Sept. 14, 2004, surrounded by loved ones. Connie is survived by Ken Kertell, her husband; her parents, Harold and Betty Albair; and her four brothers and four sisters. She was loved and admired by her family for her sincerity, unpretentiousness, integrity, fierce independence and strong will. She approached life responsibly, but always playfully. She faced death with courage and awe. Teaching gifted children was her passion, and she recently received a Master’s Degree in Gifted Education from the University of Arizona. As a teacher of the gifted for the Tucson Unified School District, her lessons reflected her belief in tolerance for different people, different religions, different ideas and different learning styles. On more than one occasion, lifelong personal friendships developed between Connie and her students and Connie and her student’s parents. Connie’s two favorite leisure activities were downhill skiing (anywhere) and “cruising” the Portland harbor with friends and family in her brother Tim’s boat. She requested, in fact, that her ashes be spread on the waters of Portland Harbor during a future cruise. Her husband, Ken, is happy to know that her ashes will nourish the local lobsters, which on many occasions delighted her discerning palette. Connie, her husband and her family would like to thank the doctors and nurses at the University Medical Center and especially Tom, her oncologist and her nurses, Sandy and Nicki of the Arizona Cancer Center. Connie started the Tuscon Chapter of the pancreatic cancer support group, and earlier this year, on behalf of the Arizona Cancer Center, Tom presented her with a beautiful crystal vase at a local cancer fundraiser. The vase was inscribed as follow, “Presented to Connie Albair in recognition of your commitment to curing cancer through your participation in clinical trials at the Arizona Cancer Center. Your courage, inspiration, and support of others has not gone unnoticed.” Finally, Ken would like to thank Connie’s family for their love and trust during Connie’s two and a half-year battle with this dreadful and poorly understood disease. A service will be held Saturday, Sept. 25, in Tucson, Ariz.
CONSTANCE LOUISE ALBAIR
