Connie M.J. Barone

1968 - 2022

OBITUARY

Connie Marie Janet Barone, affectionately known as Concetta, Con-Con-Connie, Aunt Connie, FA-Connie, Weekend Connie, Cousin Connie, Godmother, and more was born in Woodside in 1968 and moved to Bayside, Queens 3 years later, where she grew up with her parents Janet and Joe and two siblings: Toni-Ann and Joseph. In 2004, Connie gained another sister when her brother Joe married Melissa and they blessed her with two nieces, Giovanna and Daniela.

As a young woman Connie attended St. Robert Bellarmine grammar school, St. Francis Preparatory High School, Queens College, and earned a master’s degree in Finance from Pace University. During Connie’s school years, she was involved in many sports and clubs including soccer, volleyball, the Accounting Society, and a member of Phi Beta Kappa. She was a Girl Scout all through school and later became a leader. She was most proud when the Girl Scouts of America created the Gold Award (equivalent to the Boy Scout Eagle Award). In 1986, she was honored to be the first recipient ever of this award. Undoubtedly, this began her passion for instilling power in women.

Upon graduation, Connie became a Financial Analyst and embarked on a progressive 30-year career in finance. She held many positions beginning with Financial Analyst at SMH: a watch manufacturer; Controller of Grange: a high-end French furniture company; and Controller of Watch World International: a start-up company. She then began a 14-year journey at PepsiCo where she worked for multiple divisions including Tropicana, Quaker, and Gatorade before moving to Princeton, New Jersey where she worked for Frito-Lay. In each of these jobs she was held in high regard for her roles as head orange squeezer and lead potato peeler until moving up the ranks to an Executive Band Two position as Regional Finance Director. When her illness became more difficult to manage, she moved back to New York and began working at SYSCO as the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Long Island.

During her tenure, Connie managed various sized corporations ranging from 200 million to multi-billion-dollar companies leaving a tremendous legacy. Clearly, she worked hard but was always very generous with her time and looked for ways to weave in community service with her colleagues like refurbishing a Boys and Girls Club facility in South Carolina. She was a leader, a mentor, and change manager, across many levels of every company, not just finance. Her colleagues and superiors were amazed by her strength amidst adversity and how she handled herself, friendships, and relationships, especially throughout her illness. She found a way to make it comfortable to be normal around her and always tackled challenges head on and with a great balance of emotion and rationality.

In 2007, Connie was diagnosed with a very rare cancer. Over the next 15 years she would undergo 7 surgeries and multiple rounds of chemotherapy. But this did not stop her from continuing in her career or enhancing the relationships of her friends and family and becoming the best Aunt and Godmother EVER!

Throughout life you hope to meet a person that makes you a better person. Those who knew her were in awe of her strength, perseverance, clever perspectives, and she was truly inspirational, with an intellect beyond comparison. Her legacy will live on through those she mentored, empowered, and challenged to be the best they could be! Remember her motto… “Work Hard, Play Hard”.

As many of you know Connie Barone was very adamant about people receiving an education. I’m sure at one time or another you may have asked for her assistance in school, writing an email, or even help with your resume. No matter what, she was always there to help.

We cannot think of a better way to honor her than to set up a scholarship fund to help children who are in financial need receive an education. In this way, Connie’s passion for education will live on.

DONATIONS

Donations can be made by check to:

Nativity Catholic School

3413 Cypress Landing Drive

Valrico, Florida 33596

In the memo write: “Connie Barone Scholarship”.

VISITATION

Wednesday, December 28 & Thursday, December 29

2:00 - 4:00 PM & 7:00 - 9:00 PM

New Hyde Park Funeral Home

506 Lakeville Road, New Hyde Park, NY

MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL

Friday, December 30

10:45 AM

St. Robert Bellarmine Church

56-15 213th Street, Bayside, NY

INTERMENT

Calvary Cemetery

49-02 Laurel Hill Boulevard, Woodside, NY