Connie J. (Tolliver) Houghland

Our beloved, Connie J. Houghland went home to Jesus on Thursday, December 30, 2021. In her final moments, she was surrounded by her loving family. 
Connie was born on August 18, 1947 to Cora Lee and Walter Tolliver in Elizabethton, Tennessee. She was raised in Annapolis, Maryland and graduated Annapolis High School in 1965.  After high school, she worked for Arinc, a company owned by the airlines.  Connie, being an adventurous spirit, used her company’s airline connection and traveled the world.  Her trips included Hawaii, Tahiti and an African safari.  In 1967, she met the love of her life, Robert Houghland.  They married April 7, 1972; this year they would have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.  After marriage, Connie and Bob lived in Pennsville, NJ and ultimately settled in Hanover, PA where they raised their two daughters.

In Hanover, Connie’s career accomplishments included running a nursery school and starting a 5 year-old program at St Mark’s Lutheran Church. Connie also spent years in the family business, HPC Global, where she worked in customer service, promoted the company at advertising specialty shows and managed document control for HPC Medx, the medical division of Hanover Pen Company.

Connie loved being a mom to all who knew her. She instilled a love for travel in her daughters taking them to as many places as she could. An avid reader, Connie was a big supporter of libraries and volunteered frequently in her daughters’ elementary school library. In addition to volunteering at school, she gave her time to her church, First United Methodist Church, where she was a member for over 40 years.  

Connie would say that she came from a long line of good country cooks.  By the age of 13, she could put a full meal on the table and knew how to feed a crowd.  She was known for her baking, especially her homemade pie crusts. Her sense of hospitality was extended to all who knew her.   All were welcome in her home, and she kept the house stocked with drinks, snacks and ice cream for the impromptu teen gatherings that occurred on a regular basis.  The phrase, “Meet at Houghland’s house” was so commonplace it became assumed. Countless evenings of laughter were spent around her kitchen table and in the basement family room.

While she accomplished many things in her lifetime, she would consider her greatest accomplishment to be her daughters and her grandchildren.  She tirelessly devoted her life to them.  Nothing brought her greater joy than spending time with her grandchildren and her family. 

Connie is survived by her husband, Robert; her two daughters, Cortney Stafford and Christina Thomas; her son-in-law, Stanton Stafford; her 4 grandchildren- Charlotte, Elizabeth, Makenzie, and William; her two brothers, Robert Tolliver and Walter Tolliver; and many nieces and nephews. Connie is also survived by an extensive extended family in Indiana and Kentucky.
Connie was a devoted and loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin, and friend. She loved the Lord and relied on her faith in good times and bad. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her. 

A Gathering of Family & Friends will take place on Friday, January 14th at  First United Methodist Church, 200 Fredrick St, Hanover PA 17331, from 10-11AM with a Memorial Service to follow at 11AM.

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