Constance Sue Kohler

Born in Denver, Colorado, Connie was the first, and perhaps most beautiful, child of Warren George and Betty Jean (Weber) Wadsworth.

Connie's caring nature appeared early. Family lore tells of the day her mother looked out the window to find two-year-old Connie lovingly feeding spoonfuls of dirt to her six-month-old brother, Warren. The family often joked that this act of sisterly devotion had a lasting effect on his personality.

She loved babies and children throughout her life and seemed naturally drawn to them. They loved her right back. Her nurturing spirit showed itself in countless ways. When her 2-year-old niece Whitney stayed with her while Gina was in the hospital having a second child, Connie built a miniature cardboard refrigerator and filled it with cutout pictures of food so Whitney would have something special to play with. It was a small gesture, but one that perfectly reflected Connie's creativity, thoughtfulness, and love.

Connie married Michael Harms and moved from Colorado to California, where they raised their family in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 1985, the family relocated to the St. Louis area, which would become home for a few years.

Music and dancing were lifelong joys. Connie taught her younger sister, Gail, all the popular dances of the 1960s, especially their favorite, The Monkey. After seeing The Sound of Music, the two could often be found singing "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?" at the top of their lungs while dancing around the kitchen and doing dishes. The lyrics seemed to capture something of Connie's free spirit: "How do you keep a wave upon the sand? How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand?"

Connie was known throughout the family for her incredible baking. She made delicious pies, cookies, and sweets, without ever eating them herself. For generations of children, that was the perfect combination. Her famous pecan balls became a family favorite worth traveling for. She was also known for her excellent Mexican cooking and for making sure no one ever left her home hungry.

In St. Louis, Connie met the love of her life, Lenes Kohler, through a square dancing club. They married in 1988 and built a life centered on family, friendship, travel, and shared adventures. In the early 1990s, they moved back to Colorado.

For several years they were active in square dancing clubs, and nieces still remember Connie's colorful petticoats hanging in the guest bedroom when they stayed over. Later, they joined a car club and began collecting and restoring classic cars. Connie especially loved their maroon Corvette and was always happy to ride along to the next classic car show.

Eventually, Connie and Len returned to Colorado, where they remained close to family and continued building friendships through their many interests and activities.

Connie and Len loved taking road trips and traveled back to Missouri to visit family as often as they could. The journey was never just about the destination. Connie enjoyed the adventure, the conversation, and the opportunity to spend time with the people she loved.

She worked throughout her life, but her jobs were never what defined her. Family, friends, and relationships were always far more important to her than any title or career. Her energy was devoted to the people she loved and the communities she joined.

Connie was a longtime member of Beta Sigma Phi, and her sorority sisters remained an important part of her life for more than 40 years. Through holiday gatherings, celebrations, and service projects, those friendships became an extension of the family.

She was always ready for an adventure, a festival, a fair, a sporting event, a protest, or a 5K walk supporting a good cause. Outgoing and friendly, Connie never met a stranger and genuinely cared about the people around her. Friends knew her as reliable and compassionate. Family knew her as warm, loving, generous, and endlessly welcoming.

She was especially proud of her family. She loved gathering around the table for card games and board games, family dinners, and spending time with her children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and their growing families. Family was at the center of her life.

Connie was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Lenes Kohler.

She is survived by her siblings, Warren Wadsworth (Deborah), Terry Wadsworth (Georgina), and Gail Wadsworth (Peter Leiggi); her children, Elizabeth Harms, Penelope Kriz, and Michael Harms (Simone); her stepchildren, Christina Smith (Mike) and Kenneth Kohler; as well as many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and dear friends whose lives were enriched by her kindness and love.

Connie leaves behind a legacy of warmth, generosity, kindness, and devotion to family. She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered. To honor Connie, the family requests donations in her memory to Alzheimer’s Association.