Service Details
A Memorial Mass will be celebrated on Friday, March 27, 2026 at 11:00 am at St. Lucy Catholic Church (3101 Drexel Avenue). Interment will follow in West Lawn Memorial Park. Visitation will be in the church on Friday, March 27th, from 10-11 am.
Christine Jacqueline Connaughton, born February 15, 1948, in Iron Mountain, Michigan, passed away peacefully in New Port Richey, Florida, on Monday, September 1, 2025, after a brief and courageous battle with Pancreatic Cancer. She was 77. Christine spent most of her life in Racine, Wisconsin, with winters in Florida. Christine graduated from St. Catherine’s High School and earned a BA in Communications from the University of Wisconsin at Parkside and an MA in Teaching from National Louis University. Her passions in life beyond her family were healthy eating, grassroots peace and justice activism, history and current events, good music, and authentic connections with others through conversation and shared experiences. Christine was the catalyst for organizing large family gatherings, surprise parties, picnics, and smaller events to keep people she loved in touch with one another. Her insistence on capturing group family photos leaves us with cherished memories. A piano player, Christine loved music and had eclectic tastes, especially The Beatles, Eagles, Janet Jackson, and Adele. She loved Ave Maria- a favorite of her Grandfather and Imagine by John Lennon. Christine worked as an Executive Secretary and Social Studies Teacher. She was most proud of organizing a multinational conference in Paris and teaching history in urban public schools. Christine was intelligent and curious; she loved reading non-fiction, watching documentaries, and laughing out loud at comedic films. While she held many roles throughout her years, her proudest and most joyful title was that of mother and grandmother. She is remembered by her daughter as being amazingly devoted to the raising of her grandsons from taking them over the summers, ferrying them over 20 years to summer camps and baseball, cheering at every game, cooking them wonderful meals, sending delightful care packages and cards, rocking them to sleep as children while she sang, and being their champion as they faced medically complex lives. Christine adored her daughter and grandsons; they were her heart’s delight, and she never tired of sharing their milestones, celebrating their successes, and finding joy in their laughter. Her pride in them was unmistakable, and her love for them remains a lasting gift that will continue to shape their lives. Those who knew Christine will remember her presence – spirited, unmistakable, and uniquely her own. She was generous well beyond her means and incredibly thoughtful. Christine believed in the goodness of people and lived with humility, never finding pleasure in material things but rather the priceless gifts of pouring into others with her time, energy, and wit. Without fail, she came to the defense of those less able, regardless of whether she knew them or not. Her life echoes: seek Justice, love Mercy, walk humbly with our God. Christine’s life leaves behind a legacy of resilience, truth, and devotion to family. We remember her with gratitude for the life she lived, the love she gave, and the indelible mark she left on all who knew her. Christine was born to her late parents, LaVern (Dale) Salisbury and Martin (TJ) Connaughton and is survived by her daughter, Gretchen Stewart, and grandsons Ari Seay and Ian Stewart, nephew Ian (Jane) Connaughton, step-brothers Richard (Linda) Salisbury, Dan (Cyndi) Salisbury, and Tim (Amy) Salisbury, and a host of cousins and extended family. She is preceded in death by her brother Marty (Barb) Connaughton. Christines daughter expresses heartfelt gratitude for the friends and family who supported us during her illness and in her passing, especially her lifelong college friends, Sharon Moore and Vicki Brown, family TJ, Patti, Dinah, and Gail, neighbors Ann Sardoni and Lynn and Gary Marrs, Amanda Moore at Cornerstone Caregiving, Carole Schmidt, her beloved Goddaughter Barbara McCarthy, and Cathleen (Micheal) McCarthy. In lieu of flowers, to honor Christine’s life and her love of family, please call or visit someone you love, make time to get together, and always be sure to take that group photo!
A Memorial Mass will be celebrated on Friday, March 27, 2026 at 11:00 am at St. Lucy Catholic Church (3101 Drexel Avenue). Interment will follow in West Lawn Memorial Park. Visitation will be in the church on Friday, March 27th, from 10-11 am.
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