Dayton just lost a Rockstar you may not know about
While celebrity deaths may have filled your newsfeed recently, I'd like to take a moment to remember an incredible lady from Dayton, who died just days after Christmas.
Dayton just lost a Rockstar you may not know about
On December 15, 2016, what was expected to be a simple colonoscopy, turned into a nightmare for Jim Livingston and his family. Jim was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Just 14 days later, his wife Connie passed away unexpectedly from heart complications.
If you knew Connie Livingston, you knew she was a devoted wife and mother. She simply adored Jim and her two girls, Erin & Heather. And she loved peppermint mochas. Decaf, to be precise. But behind the Starbucks selfies (sample above with her daughters) was one very accomplished lady.
Starting her career as an RN, Connie found her passion in childbirth education. She taught locally at Kettering Medical Center and the Miami Valley Hospital Berry Women's Center, as well as internationally. As the owner of Perinatal Education Associates Inc., she wrote thousands of articles on her blog, as well as publishing two books on childbirth.
More recently, Connie was the president of the International Childbirth Education Association. The ICEA, earlier this week, honored her memory by renaming their scholarship program "The Connie Livingston Memorial Scholarship Program".
Following the news of her passing, Connie's facebook profile immediately started to fill with messages. First of shock and disbelief, but also of touching memories and heartfelt tributes. Connie will be deeply missed by thousands.
But it wasn't just her love for family, her passion for her work, or the many accomplishments that we admired about Connie. Yesterday, Jamilla Walker wrote a touching tribute which summed it up perfectly.
"Connie Livingston was a leader in the birth industry – as a doula, childbirth educator and administrator. Her tenacity and passion for the birth community were second to none, as were her high standards for every organization she laid hands on throughout her career. And while that is impressive, that’s not what has us all walking around in a hazy cloud of grief today. It is how she interacted with all of us that has made us love her, and what is leaving a massive hole in her wake. Connie was the single most encouraging person any of us have ever met. And when I say encouraging, I don’t just mean she was good at making us feel better about life – I mean that she saw our best, our greatest potential and did everything she could to call it out of us."
- Jamilla R. Walker RN, IBCLC
Jamilla wasn't alone in her thoughts. "A role model for me and so many others," wrote Lisa Warner. Johanna Wright posted "I would not be where I am and doing what I do without her guiding influence in my life."
I personally first met Connie in 2004 when she contracted with my company to rebuild her website. Connie quickly became a friend. When we met, she'd greet me with a bear hug. When our meetings were over, I always walked away with a smile. When my wife was pregnant with our first born, she made us a belly cast. When I was sick, she brought me home-made chicken noodle soup. Connie was also one of my biggest cheerleaders, never missing an opportunity to tell me what an amazing web guy she had, for which I'll forever be grateful.
You were amazing too, Connie. I will miss you.
Read more of Jamilla's post here:
birthperspectives.com/2017/01/03/a-tribute-to-connie-livingston/
To help the Livingstone's beat cancer, visit their GoFundMe page:
www.gofundme.com/JimandConnieLivingston
To donate to The Connie Livingston Memorial Scholarship Program:
icea.org/certification/scholarships/
Related: Memorial Day - Thoughts by James Livingston, Major (USAF Ret)
