Connie Lee LeVasseur

Connie LeVasseur Grant lost her battle with cancer Monday, March 27, 2023, at the age of 76. She fought hard and fierce throughout her journey with strength and conviction. She can now finally rest in peace pain free. She was born Monday, March 17, 1947 to Eugene and Jennie (Jose) Grant. She joined siblings Carole and Dick Grant. They lived on the East Side in Butte. Later they resided in Kirkland, Washington. She attended the Grant School and graduated from butte High School in the class of 1965. She volunteered at St. James Hospital as a candy striper, which planted her seed of passion for her future without even knowing it at all at the time. She belonged to numerous clubs in high school and loved spending time with family and friends. After graduation she worked at Metals Bank as a teller, at the Montana Standard and at nursing homes. It was then she pursued her lifelong dream and went to nursing school. She married Jim Mayo and had two children: Eugene, (a son who passed away from SIDS at two weeks old) and Connie her daughter. They divorced shortly after. She then married Del LeVasseur and had her son, Del and daughter, Colette. They divorced years later but remain close friends and support each other. Being a single mother with three children, she had to work to make ends meet. She decided to go to nursing school, which ultimately was her passion and she excelled at it, graduating the top of her class. During this time, she worked part time nights, went to school during the day while raising three children. She also helped care for her mom and looked forward to retiring to travel and spend more time with her. They were remarkably close. Their relationship was incredibly special, they spent almost ever day together, loved to go gambling, taking trips together but most important were the best of friends. They were known around town as Dorothy and Sophia. Their bond was so inspiring. After Mom retired, sgot cancer, then lost her mom at the age of 99. Then, the whole world as we knew it changed with COVID. Her life changed from that moment on, as everyone’s did, but Mom’s heart broke a little bit more. With her busy schedule, she didn’t have much time for hobbies, but did find fun in ceramics, loved the holidays, made each family member their own Christmas stocking, loved to cook goulash, banana bread, turtle cookies and loved volunteering at the Mother Lode Theater. Her passion was garage sales is certainly worth mentioning, she never missed one or the chance to strike a bargain. She lived a full life of perseverance and she never hid how she felt about things. She was stubborn and very straightforward which for some people was intimidating but for others was endearing and she never backed down. She was a hard worker and worked hard for everything she had. She worked hard, played hard, loved hard, cried hard, laughed hard and fought her cancer with pride and gave it her all. She beat it twice, went into remission twice and fought with such courage, strength and dedication that many deemed her a hero. To the Doctors she was known as a miracle. After her first remission she was told she now had stage 4 lung cancer and by the grace of God, she beat it again. She entered remission a second time. What a blessing to her achievement and perseverance to not give up, and I thank God every day for the extra time we had with her. She was chosen by the Montana Standard as a highlight to the Relay for Life ( which we participated every year from her first diagnosis in 2009) and was featured on the front page in an article named “Too Stubborn to Die”. It sounded scary and morbid and to see it in huge letter was overwhelming, but to those who truly knew her, it was a comfort to know that they were her own words and it was perfect for her journey and how she viewed it. Instead of sitting and waiting for this disease to take her down, she used her stubbornness as a tool to prolong her life. She retired after 42 years of nursing and with her experience and knowledge she was no stranger to seeing what cancer does so she had more off an insight on how to approach the cancer walk in life than any of us did. No one wants to think that just because you have cancer that it can’t be talked about, in fear of hurting people’s feelings or fears, but she was straight forward about her journey and shared it whenever she could. One thing that I admire most about her was her ability to share her own experience and miracles, 106 Plus chemo treatments and her ability to share that with new comers in the chemo room who were coming there scared and full of fear and what if’s? Connie would set an example and provide a sounding board to help other in what to expect, what chemo does to your body, etc. She provided comfort and laughter to so many people. After she retired was when she found out she had cancer and it changed her plans drastically. She fought the battle on and off for 12 years but the last 6 with chemo being the hardest. She described it as a nightmare. Her daughters were her rock as she stated and could not have gotten through it without her kids support. There were days she suffered but was afraid to ask for help because she did not want to be a bother. She got involved with the cancer retreats, Mending in the Mountains, and made lifetime friendships with others sharing her same battle. It gave tremendous support. After her 100th chemo treatment, her mother passed away. This loss made her feel lost and alone. She lost the will to fight. Grief overtook her momentarily and then she said with a huge smile, “Cancer will get me some day, but not today.” Laughter turned her grief into strength to keep fighting. Her doctor admired her strong will to fight, her determination and humor even helped him cope and she outlived the 5 year timeline they gave her by another 10 years. She loved taking care of people of all ages. She never met a stranger. She could enter any setting, store, garage sale, car lot, public parking, festival etc., not knowing a soul walking in, but leave the establishment knowing not only their names, dates of birth, addresses, but could tell you how many children they have, their names, what they drove and what they had for dinner last night. She loved people and has always had a passion for helping others, mentally, financially and did it with a sense of humor. This is who she was; a fierce friend to all who met and knew her. She could even make the grumpiest old man smile. She did tequila shots with Barak Obama at the M&M Bar and could make even the toughest guards of the palace in England break into a blush. Humor: this was her gift to all that met her. Humor is what healed her in many ways and that gift she passed on to every person she encountered. Her nickname was “Bubbles”. She will be remembered as one of the strongest women I know. I know that we will also remember her courage, strength and the pure essence of her character. She will be deeply missed but never forgotten. “Todaloo”. She is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law, Connie and Bruce Berry of Manhattan, Colette and Chad Getten of Great Falls, son and his partner, Del T. LeVasseur and Sheena St. Vincent of Arizona, ex-husband, Del C. LeVasseur of Great Falls, sister, Carol and Richard Riley of Seattle, Washington, grandchildren: Raelyn LeVasseur, Keaton Corbitt and Kolter and Alivia Corbitt, Ali and Cagen Getten and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. She is preceded in death by her parents, Eugene Glenn and Jennie Grant, stepdad, Joe Sullivan, brother, Dick Grant, ex-husband, Jim May and her son, Eugene Alden Mayo. A special thank you goes to Dr. Hueftle and his staff for all the years of all their support on her journey. Cremation has taken place. Memorial services will be conducted Friday, April 14th at 11 am in Wayrynen-Richards Funeral Home with Father Thomas Haffey officiating. Interment of ashes will follow in Mount Moriah Cemetery and a reception will follow in Wayrynen-Richards Community Center.

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Connie Lee LeVasseur

March 17, 1947 - March 27, 2023