Connie Shields-Macon, 82, of Gary, IN, passed away peacefully on March 13, 2025. Born in Pittsburgh, PA, on December 17, 1942, she moved to Chicago with her family at age 10, in search of a better life. A 1961 Parker High School graduate, she first attended Dillard University, where she pledged Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and displayed exceptional bravery as the “Ace” of her line. After a ‘layover’ at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, she later graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in Health Education and earned a Master’s in Public Health Administration from the University of Missouri in 1973. Throughout her youth, Connie overcame many hardships with remarkable strength and perseverance, qualities that defined her life.
Connie dedicated her career to public health and community, beginning at the Chicago Board of Health, and later served at the University of Chicago’s Lying-In Hospital. In 1983, she married Vernon Macon, her childhood sweetheart, and they moved to Gary, IN, in 1987. She worked as a Rehabilitation Counselor for the State of Illinois until her 2006 retirement, then served as a dedicated substitute teacher for the Gary Community School Corporation, often going above and beyond to ensure her students’ success.
Connie’s life was defined by unwavering devotion to family and faith. For over 20 years, she provided round-the-clock in-home care for her mother while battling a terminal illness, a testament to her profound sense of duty and quiet fortitude. Her resilience was sustained by her deep faith in Jehovah, to whom she dedicated her life and was baptized July 27, 2013. She found immense joy in Bible study, sharing her beliefs, and acts of selfless love.
An exemplary wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend, Connie was known for her genuine love for people, her ability to form deep connections, and her vibrant spirit. She was the life of the party, a generous host, and a master of friendship. She cherished gardening, cooking, and finding a good rummage sale. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her.
Connie is survived by her steadfast husband, Vernon; daughter, Millicent; stepchildren, David (wife Tomomi) and Dionne; grandchildren, Elle, Davidson, Autumn (husband Marcus and daughter Alina), Douglas, and Lynette; siblings Ron Sr. (wife Gwen) and Isadore; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. She was predeceased by her parents, Gwendolyn and James; brother, Jon (wife Marilyn), aunts, Jeanette and Rose; uncles, David and Ivery; stepdaughter, Denise (husband Leo, Sr.); and step-grandchildren, Leo Jr. and LiRoy.