Connie Hillard-Lessei, 84, of Dubuque, IA passed away on Thursday, July 28, 2022 at the Stonehill Health Center in Dubuque.

Visitation will be from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 3, 2022 at Hoffmann Schneider & Kitchen Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 3,2022 at the Hoffmann Schneider & Kitchen Funeral Home. Burial will be at the Dubuque Memorial Gardens.

Constance Ann daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Neidig) Sutter was born on January 2, 1938 at the Xavier Hospital in Dubuque, IA. She graduated from Dubuque Senior High School with the Class of 1956 and then attended Northeast Community College. She married Richard “Dick” Hillard on March 22, 1957. The couple was blessed with five children Richard, Vicky, Michael, Lynn and Theodore. The couple later divorced. Later in life Connie married Antonio Lessei and the family grew to include his children Lisa, Dean and Steven.

Connie raised her family on the 2300 blk of Washington by Comisky Park and she later helped her husband run Antonio’s Tap on the corner of Hwy 52 and JFK. She enjoyed working as an Avon rep in the Dubuque area and was a member of the Avon President’s Club for many years as a top salesperson in her region. She enjoyed spending time with her family, especially going camping and fishing. She loved going on vacations and excursions, especially warm tropical destinations. Her passion was her vegetable garden and sharing all her produce with family and friends. She always enjoyed a trip to the Casino. Most of all she loved her family and grandkids, and she was known to all as “Gam”.

Connie is preceded in death by her father Tom Sutter and mother Elizabeth Sutter.

Connie is survived by children Richard “Rick” Hillard of Dubuque, Vicky Every and fiancé Fred Becker of Cassville, WI, Michael “Mike” Hillard and his spouse Karen of Dubuque, Lynn Hillard and her spouse Carlene of Bernard, IA, Theodore “Ted” Hillard of Muscatine, IA; 6 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; sister Darlene Dyer and brother Tom Sutter and his spouse Rita all of Dubuque; Antonio Lessei of Dubuque; other relatives and a host of many friends.