Constance Joan Heginbotham, known to family and friends as Connie, passed away unexpectedly on July 15, 2026, near her home in the mountains west of Boulder, Colorado. She was 87 years old. Less than a month earlier, she and her devoted husband, Stanley Heginbotham, had celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary together.

Connie was born on April 3, 1939, in Omaha, Nebraska, to Ruth and T. Hord Seeley. She grew up in Balboa, California, where she developed two lifelong passions: music and learning. After years of piano study with distinguished California teachers, she continued her musical education while attending Stanford University. She graduated in 1961 with a bachelor's degree in History, with distinction and honors.

While at Stanford, Connie met the love of her life, Stanley Heginbotham. They were married on June 22, 1961, at Hidden Villa in Los Altos Hills, California, then the home of the Clerk of the Palo Alto Friends Meeting. A convinced Friend (Quaker), Connie was motivated to serve as a volunteer with the American Friends Service Committee in Bangalore, India, from 1962 to 1963, where she and Stan worked on projects supporting South Indian educators.

After returning to the United States, the couple settled in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where their son, Arlen, was born in 1966. Following another two-year stay in India, the family moved to New York. During these years, Connie resumed intensive study of the piano, gave public performances, maintained a successful teaching practice, and devoted significant time to volunteer work, including efforts on behalf of Amnesty International.

In 1976, Connie, Stan, and Arlen moved to Washington, D.C. There, her talents for organization, leadership, and service found new expression in nonprofit and international-aid work. She served as a recruiter and human resources manager for organizations engaged in international development before becoming Director of Placement at American University. While working full time, she earned a Master of Science degree in Personnel and Human Resource Management, graduating with distinction.

In 1988, Connie and Stan returned to New York, where she became Vice President for Human Resources at Rabobank Nederland. She remained in that position until her retirement in 1996, earning the respect and affection of colleagues through her intelligence, integrity, and genuine concern for others.

The Rocky Mountains held a special place in Connie's heart throughout her adult life. Family vacations to Rocky Mountain National Park nurtured a deep and enduring love of Colorado's landscapes, wildflowers, birds, wildlife, and even lichens. In 1996, she and Stan found and purchased their dream cabin west of Boulder. What began as a summer retreat eventually became the center of their lives. After retirement, they divided their time between New York and Colorado and later made the mountains their permanent home. Built by hand from logs harvested on the property and surrounded by spectacular Front Range views, the cabin was a source of immense joy for her. Connie hiked widely in Rocky Mountain National Park and the Indian Peaks Wilderness and delighted in sharing the beauty of the natural world with family and friends.

Above all, Connie cherished people. She cultivated deep and lasting friendships across generations, bringing warmth, curiosity, kindness, and unwavering loyalty to those fortunate enough to know her. Her family and friends remember her as an engaged listener, a thoughtful correspondent, a devoted friend, and a person whose compassion enriched countless lives.

Connie is survived by her husband, Stanley; her son, Arlen; her daughter-in-law, Leslie; and her granddaughter, Ruslan. She will be deeply missed by her family and many loving friends.

No services will be held. A celebration of Connie's life will be planned at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Connie's memory may be made to Hidden Villa.