Constance “Connie” Sue Obreiter, 66, of Wayland, died Sunday, Aug. 4.

The daughter of Jack and Marilyn (Stiles) Hinkle, she was born on Dec. 5, 1952, in Plainwell. Growing up within the family business, at the age of 10, Connie became the proud bread slicer at Hinkle’s Bakery. With her very first paycheck, she went out and bought an outfit for her Barbie doll.

She continued to work hard as she graduated from high school as class valedictorian. She also earned a full-ride scholarship to Western Michigan University and became a CPA and spent 25 years working for Borgess Hospital. She also taught accounting at Davenport University for several years.

Connie found passion in each new activity she took on. Whether it was her passion for music, traveling, theater, Mark Nepo’s philosophy, yoga, books, the latest Apple products, designing jewelry, or tai chi, she was always searching.

However, her greatest love was her daughter and her family. Connie told all, “Carly is the joy of my life” and that joy extended to Connie’s granddaughter, Camree and son-in-law, Phillip.

Connie faced many uphill battles, surviving a life threatening automobile accident at age 19. She made the best out of her congestive heart failure diagnosis and even beat cancer. One of her doctors called her the cat with nine lives.

She lived with her daughter’s family in the Gun Lake area for the last seven years.

Surviving are her daughter, Carly (Phillip) Kissinger; granddaughter, Camree Kissinger; brother, John (Pat) Hinkle; sister-in-law, Deanna Hinkle; many nieces and nephews; and special friends. Connie was preceded in passing by her parents and a brother, Ron Hinkle;

A memorial service was held Friday, Aug. 9, at Gun Lake Community Church.