Connie Mae (Buckingham) Bader

Connie Mae (Buckingham) Bader was called into glory on July 26, 2022.  Born April 30, 1938 in Rapid City, South Dakota, Connie was the first of two children born to Edward Ralph and Dorothy Genevieve (Gieser) Buckingham.  When she was a young girl, Connie and her parents moved to Pasco, Washington, making the journey with all of their belongings piled into an old Chevy coupe.  The Buckingham family lived at Pasco's Parkside for many years before settling into their Marie Street home.

In high school, Connie played Clarinet in the Pasco High School Marching Band; and she worked at the Taylor-Maid drive in where she learned to make a perfect "swirl" ice cream cone.  In 1955, Connie met Ervin Bader, Jr., who would become her husband.  Just weeks before her passing they celebrated 62 years of marriage and 67-years since their first date.

Connie graduated from Pasco High School in 1956 and attended Washington State University where she majored in Home Economics.  Connie became a Home and Family Living instructor at McLoughlin Junior High. After they were married, they moved to Pullman to attend Washington State University where Connie earned her Masters of Education.

After college, Connie and Erv moved to Yakima where she taught at Davis High School and where their twins, Linda and Brenda were born; ten and one-half months later , daughter Tana arrived.  The family then moved to Kennewick next to Bud and Hannah Berglund (Erv's mom and stepfather), and then to Pasco near Connie's parents; and eventually to some acreage in west Pasco that she fondly called her "funny farm".

Connie positively influenced many children's lives during her accomplished career in education.  She held a Joy Club preschool in her home, and opened her heart to the many neighborhood children and daughters' friends…always offering a positive example through her patience, compassion, graciousness and generosity of spirit.  And she took her children to church and raised them to love the Lord.  She was a member of Pasco First Baptist Church; and served in the resource center, teaching AWANA and summer bible school, hosting visiting missionaries and pastors, and helping raise funds to build the kitchen annex.

Connie organized the best vacations and family adventures: camping, hiking in the woods, reading stories in high mountain meadows, treasure hunts, and trips to the library, family meetings, huge yard-sales, budgeting, meal planning, and vision boards-all things she did to thoughtfully and lovingly help shape the lives of her children.

Connie was not only a beautiful, intelligent woman; she had a tremendous amount of common sense.  She would sing "Mommy Loves" and gospel hymns to her children, and she worked to ensure they knew not only love, but discipline and hard work; she taught them many life skills.

Connie was an accomplished chef and seamstress. She loved bird watching and gardening. She grew delicious fruits and vegetables, and had an abundant flower garden.  She cooked and baked and sewed and canned; and taught her children to keep a tidy house and economical home.  She raised chickens.  And she loved hosting friends and family for backyard barbeques, Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, pig roasts, Halloween parties, and birthday gatherings.

During Connie's professional career she taught at three area high schools and Columbia Basin College; and created the area's first Culinary Arts training program within the Tri-Cities Area Vocational Skills Center. She continued her education with doctoral work at The WSU/UW Joint Center for Graduate Study in Richland.  And she conceived of and implemented the Kennewick Community Schools program.  Connie retired from the Kennewick School System as assistant principal for the skills center.

After Connie and Erv retired on the same day in 1993, they packed up their motorhome and explored the United States.  Connie loved traveling and learning.  They went to Mexico, Spain, Panama, Alaska, Florida, Hawaii, and on many Caribbean cruises; she also went to England with her dad and China with her friend Rose Chen. Connie and Erv spent many years as "snowbirds" following the sun to Surprise, Arizona in the winter, and back to Pasco, Washington every spring.

In her later years, Connie suffered from synaptic dementia which stole her memory and ability to communicate with words, but she had a ready smile for everyone and recognized her husband until the very end.

Connie is saved by her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  She is survived by husband Ervin Bader Jr.; three children: Linda (Bader) and Daniel Johnson; Brenda (Bader) and Todd Thompson, and Tana (Bader) and Michael Inglima; and sister, Ida Buckingham.  Connie loved her family and especially her grandchildren Katie (Johnson) and David Lew; Annie (Johnson) and Cody Yarbrough; Drew and Kristie (Calamos) Johnson; Ryan Johnson; David Thompson; Tyler and Rebekah (McVey) Thompson; Kami (Thompson) and Nate Jones; great-granddaughter, Selah Yarbrough; and twin great-grandsons, Peter and Reese Johnson.

While we will miss her steady, loving guidance, we will draw comfort from joyful memories of a woman who embodied kindness, gentleness, goodness and faith. A special thanks goes to the people who have compassionately cared for her at Calloway Gardens Memory Care Center in Kennewick.

A viewing will be held Friday, August 5, 2022 at 9:00 a.m., with a Celebration of Life to follow at 10:00 a.m. at the First Baptist Church of Pasco: 1105 N. Rd 36, Pasco Washington.

The family invites you to sign their online guest book at MuellersFuneralHomes.com.