Connie May Ormsby

Constance May (Paulison) Ormsby, “Connie”, age 96, passed away peacefully with her loving family by her side, on Saturday, April 17, 2021.

The second of Albert and Laura Bedwin’s six children, Connie was born in Livingston and grew up in Pompton Plains where she was a graduate of Butler Regional High School.

Connie was the beloved wife of Millard Paulison. They met when she was eighteen and part of their courtship was experienced long-distance when Millard was called to serve in the United States Armed Forces. They married on Saturday, October 13 1945 and soon after moved into their newly built home located at 31 Manor Avenue in Pompton Plains.

Connie and Millard were blessed with three children – Douglas, Barbara and Ronald, and Connie devoted her life to providing a loving and nurturing home for her family. Doing some of her best work in the kitchen, favorite family recipes included her delicious leg of lamb which was often served on Sunday afternoon after church, and for dessert, there were never any leftovers when she served her delicious cheese cake, angel food cake or date nut bread. The family enjoyed annual summer vacations to Lake Winnipesaukee and Granite Lake, both in New Hampshire, and Christmas holidays with extended family hosted by Connie or one of her four sisters.

In 1978, with retirement now a reality, Connie and Millard sold their home in Pompton Plains and moved to Inverness Florida. It was fun at first but Connie missed seeing her grandchildren and found the summers unbearably warm. For the next few years they took trips back to New Jersey up to six times a year and ultimately decided it would make more sense to move back closer to their family. They chose Silver Ridge Park Community in Toms River where they enjoyed the many friendships that developed over the years. It became much easier to visit and be visited by children and grandchildren and the whole extended family enjoyed the tradition of Easter Sundays celebrated in Toms River. In 1996, after 51 truly blessed years in a loving marriage, Connie’s beloved Millard passed away. In the years that followed, Connie met a gentleman named James Ormsby. Connie and Jim became good companions for one another and they married on April 11, 2003. They enjoyed eleven years together, including a cruise to Alaska, until Jim passed away in 2014. Connie remained in Toms River for a couple more years, then she moved to Matamoras, Pennsylvania to be closer to her daughter Barbara and son-in-law John. This past January, 2021, she moved one more time, to the home of her son Ron and daughter-in-law Julie in Wanaque. For the last four months, Ron and Julie lovingly cared for Connie, admirably providing her with much love and nurturing attention.

As a younger woman, Connie enjoyed making items out of ceramic and she was an excellent seamstress who made many of her own and daughter Barbara’s clothing. She took up needlepoint as a hobby and some of those creations lovingly serve as decorations in her family’s homes and reminders how much she was appreciated.

Connie’s family meant the world to her. She had the most special relationship with each of her three children and was deeply saddened by the passing of her oldest son Doug in 2014. Her daughter-in-law Julie and Julie’s son James felt so loved and immediately part of the family when Julie married Connie’s son Ron. She adored her grandchildren and always felt so loved when they came to visit her in Toms River. From the time they were growing up, Connie loved sharing life with her brother and four sisters. They all got along so well and enjoyed getting together on a regular basis. Over the course of time, all of her sisters moved out of state so staying in touch meant frequent calls on the telephone and occasional trips to see each other.    

Throughout her entire life, Connie cherished a close relationship with the Lord. From the time she was little girl, she could remember singing in the church’s children’s choir and going to local nursing homes to sing for the elderly residents. She was a longtime member of Grace Church in Pequannock and more recently a member of Jacksonville Chapel (known today as The Chapel) in Lincoln Park.

Those who knew Connie will always hold a cherished place of fine memories of her in their heart. She was easy going, genuinely sweet and loving, and generous to a fault. While her absence brings sadness, that sadness is tempered by the assurance that she is with the Lord and reunited with those who were so special and dearly loved.

Connie was the beloved wife of her first husband Millard Paulison who passed away in 1996, and her second husband James Ormsby who passed away in 2014; loving mother of Douglas Paulison who passed away in 2014, Barbara and husband John Pearston of Dingmans Ferry, PA, and Ronald and wife Julie Paulison of Wanaque; adored grandmother of Kim and husband Steve Hawk, Kevin Pearston, Tiffany and husband Greg Decker, and James and wife Kristen Mandara; cherished great-grandmother of: Mallory, Michael, Allison, Nicholas, Bodie, Joey, and Brianna; precious great-great-grandmother of Scarlett and Cameron; dear sister of Catherine Conklin of Vernon Rockville, CT; dear aunt of numerous nieces and nephews; and dear step-mother of James and Karen Ormsby of New Brunswick. She was also predeceased by her other dear siblings: Albert Bedwin, Grace Mather, Mavis Summers, and Dorothy Cowan.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Constance’s name are asked to consider St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorial Processing, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959. You can also donate online at stjude.org.