Conchita A. Dejesus

Conchita "Connie" de Jesus was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and friend. After telling family she was "ready to go to the party," she quietly passed on July 15, 2021 at age 89.

She was preceded in death by her husband Jose de Jesus, Sr. (1LT, U.S. Army, RET); her sister, Cecelia; and a young daughter, Joanne de Jesus. She is survived by two sons, Jose (Jacque) de Jesus, Jr., and Tony de Jesus; and two daughters, Kathy Davenport and Marilyn Tinker. She has seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her beloved sister, Patricia Bantugan, and her dear aunt, Rita Santos.

Connie worked for several years for the Housing Office at Fort Riley, KS. She was proud of the work she did there and the many people she met and worked with. But her greatest joys came later in life while serving her family and interacting in the community.

Connie was well known for her award-winning baked goods, to include her famous chocolate chip cookies and carrot cake that she would gift to others during the holidays. Her legacy of great cooking and comfort food has been handed down through cherished recipes that her children and grandchildren now prepare. She enjoyed having large family gatherings where she could spoil the grandchildren, make hand-cranked home-made ice cream, and teach the art of preparing fried rice, pancit, and Filipino egg rolls.

An avid Kansas City and K-State sports fan, she was known for cheering on the Chiefs, Royals, or Wildcats every weekend while wearing either her Purple Pride or KC attire. She knew game stats, the coaches, and all the players. If a team didn't perform well, she could be heard hollering at them from her official position at couch-side.

A self-proclaimed coupon queen, Connie hunted the best deals at the best prices. If she gave you a Dillon's shopping list and coupons, your mission was to ensure you received the proper discounts. Failure would dictate a return to the store for remedial couponing. She had fun re investing her coupon savings into slot machines at the nearby casino.

A lifetime animal lover, her last and best furry friend is her mischievous cat, Buddy, a stray she adopted and who has surpassed his quota of nine lives. Buddy became a minor celebrity when he was featured in multiple cat calendars-one of which was a national-level publication. Connie made sure Buddy remained humble despite his fame.

Connie's wishes were to be cremated. A funeral mass at St. Xavier's Catholic Church will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, July 23, 2021, with interment at Fort Riley Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the nonprofit organization, Friends of Animals, Inc., P.O. Box 580, Junction City, KS, 66441 or feel free to donate through PayPal (@FOAJCKS).