Seery, Connie Otto 1954-2012

SEERY, OTTO, WRIGHT

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 3/9/2021 at 10:07:04

Connie Otto Seery
1954 - 2012
Des Moines

Constance Ann Otto Seery, 57, died on January 12 at Bright Kavanagh House hospice in Des Moines. Connie's peaceful passage, with family at her side, ended her valiant battle with breast cancer.

Her optimism and buoyant spirit never waned during her 25-month fight.

Connie was born May 13, 1954, the daughter of Arnold and Evelyn Otto. She left her hometown of Sterling, Illinois, to attend the University of Northern Iowa. It was at UNI that Connie discovered her true calling: educating children. After graduating, she took a job as a teacher at Clive Elementary School in 1977 and soon realized she had found her new home. On October 24, 1987, she married Tom Seery and made that home complete.

Connie instilled a love of learning and discovery in her students, and practiced it herself. She became one of the first teachers in Iowa to earn the distinction of being certified by the National Board of Teaching Standards. In 1997 Connie received her master's degree in education from Drake University.

Moving from the classroom to become a reading specialist in 1999, Connie found new ways to use her creative energy to help students in small groups and one-on-one instruction. From dressing up as Clifford the Big Red Dog to using actual dogs as attentive listeners to help children overcome reading anxiety, Connie always kept her kids-and colleagues-entertained as they learned. Everyday events became teachable moments as Connie designed unique experiences for each child.

After 34 years of teaching, Connie retired in June 2011. She spent her entire career as a proud member of the faculty of Clive Elementary School, where she counted herself lucky to teach for decades alongside her best friends. Connie enjoyed mentoring younger teachers, staying in touch with her own mentors and sharing her passion for education.

Life outside of school was often spent enjoying quiet time with her dogs and outdoor pursuits with her husband, Tom. Besides playing with her beloved dogs, one of Connie's favorite activities was bicycling. A former RAGBRAI participant, one of Connie's proudest moments of the past year was casting the rigors of her treatment aside for an idyllic spring bike ride around Gray's Lake.

Left to cherish Connie's joyous spirit are her husband, Tom; brother, Mike Otto and his wife, Donna of Lone Tree; sister-in-law, Teresa Wright of Polk City; nieces and nephews; and her many, many friends. Tom and Connie would like to thank their "angels" - the friends and family who provided steadfast comfort and support in recent weeks. A special thanks to the nurses and staff of Powell 3.

Connie's legacy lives on through her wide circle of friends and the hundreds of children in whom she instilled her zeal for lifetime learning and the joy of reading a good book.

A visitation for Connie will be held 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, January 16 at St. John's Lutheran Church in Des Moines, with sharing of memories at 6:30 p.m. Funeral services are 11 a.m. Tuesday, January 17 at St. John's, with lunch following at the church. Private burial will be held at a later date.

Memorial contributions in Connie's name may be made to her favorite causes: Animal Rescue League of Iowa, Animal Lifeline of Iowa or your local school's library or literacy program. Online condolences may be made at IlesCares.com.

To Plant Memorial Trees in memory, please visit our Sympathy Store. ~ The Des Moines (IA) Register 15 Jan 2012.