Obituary of Constance F. Abed

Constance F. (Martin) Abed, age 63, of Bridgeport passed away peacefully on Wednesday, December 20, 2017 at St. Vincent's Medical Center. She was the former wife of the late Richard Abed. Born in Bridgeport on February 28, 1954, she was the daughter of the late Charles Martin and Eleanor M. DiNatale-Vecchiarelli. She had attended Notre Dame high school from 1968-1971 and later worked as a telephone operator for the former Southern New England Telephone Company, also called SBC, with 25 years of dedicated service before her retirement. Connie spent most of her life advocating for the rights of others in the addiction, mental health field, and those affected by HIV. She was a strong advocate at the Regional Network of Programs. Connie was very excited and proud to initiate the first AIDS quilt for world's Aid's day at Regional Network of Programs. She later found a great sense of pride and enjoyment working as a counselor at the Birmingham group Health Services. Connie was invited to speak at the University of Bridgeport and Fairfield High school as part of their health care lecture series .She loved speaking with all types of students and telling her story. She had a special attachment to animals as well her cats throughout the years. Connie loved all animals and dreamed of owning a farm to help those animals in need. She had a wide variety in her music, however, John Lennon and his song Imagine is what we can all relate Connie to. Connie has touched so many lives in many ways, she was a good listener and gave back honest, heartfelt advice. She cherished all of her special friends and family. A loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother and friend, she will be deeply missed by all who knew her. She is survived by her loving son, Richard Abed of Bridgeport and her cherished grandson, Anthony Abed of Stratford, and few nieces and nephews, with many, many cousins. She is also survived by two half brothers, Charles Martin and his wife Nancy of Trumbull and Warren Smith and his wife Christine of New Hampshire. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, December 28, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. in St. Margaret Shrine, 2523 Park Ave., Bridgeport for a Mass of Christian Burial. Interment will follow in St. Michael Cemetery, Stratford. Friends may greet the family on Wednesday from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Abriola Parkview Funeral Home, 419 White Plains Rd., Trumbull