Connie Pious: Farewell to a Dear Friend

The Social Justice Fund NW community has lost a dear friend. After successfully battling breast cancer and lymphoma, Connie Pious succumbed on January 20th, 2006 of a third cancer of unknown origin. She was 74 years old.

Connie joined the Social Justice Fund NW (then A Territory Resource) in 1994 and quickly became one of our most active volunteers, serving on many committees. Connie served on many granting committees and traveled throughout the region to visit grantees and potential grantees on behalf of the Fund.

Connie chaired the Grants Oversight Committee where she was a strong and vigilant leader, always holding us to the commitment expressed in our vision and mission of building an inclusive progressive regional movement.

Board member Michael Baker served with Connie on the Grants Oversight Committee. He remembered her this way: "I had the great pleasure of working with Connie for the last five years. We shared the triumphs and challenges of SJF's grantmaking work. She always brought a critical and compassionate eye to work...always positive, always supportive, no matter how difficult the issue or circumstance. She was steadfast in her desire for social justice which helped to keep us all on track. I will miss her warm spirit as will many others."

Connie Pious served as a wonderful example of how the SJF NW's unique membership model can work. She came to us looking for a way to give much needed financial support to worthy projects and to find a way to get involved in building a regional movement for progressive social change. We gave her a way to become involved and she gave generously of her time, energy, wisdom and skill. "Without members like Connie, SJF NWwould not exist," said Executive Director, Bookda Gheisar. "Connie will be missed deeply among the staff, board, and other leadership of Social Justice Fund NW. The sadness I feel in her absence will always remind me of how profound and far reaching an impact one person's generosity can have on the hearts and lives of others."

Through her participation in Social Justice Fund NW, Connie did indeed touch the lives of many people. She read proposals, participated in granting committees, helped set organizational policy, trained and mentored new members, and traveled the region to meet directly with groups seeking funding from the foundation. In everything she did with Social Justice Fund NW, her integrity and her deep and abiding love of people and of justice was always evident.

Connie was a living example of the kind of person many of us aspire to become. The community suffers in her absence but we are comforted by the richness of her legacy and the knowledge that she died as she lived; dearly loved by her friends, supported by her loving children and grandchildren, and respected by all who knew her.

No public services will be held. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Connie's name to Cancer Lifeline, Social Justice Fund Northwest, and the Seward Park Clay Studio.

Sign Connie's Online Guestbook (now archived -- available for a fee)

Read Connie's Obituary (now archived -- available for a fee)