Constance "Connie" Loann Tryon died peacefully March 17th, 2023 in Great Falls, Montana at Benefis Peace Hospice. Connie was born in Malta, Montana on May 15, 1932 and had been looking forward to celebrating her 91st birthday this year.

Connie was the eldest of three children born to Charles Minor Keeney and Alice Elnora Alm Keeney. Born into a strong Norwegian family, Connie was dubbed “Inga” until her baptism set the record straight. In the fall of 1953 she married Glenn Tryon at a small ceremony at the American Lutheran Church in Chinook, Montana. Glenn had served as a pilot in World War II. Connie and Glenn spent a number of years moving with their family around parts of Montana and to Texas, Oklahoma, and Wyoming before returning to Montana to settle in Great Falls. Although they eventually ended their marriage, Connie and Glenn remained friends and family through the end of his life. Connie later married her long-time friend Charlie Akers, also a WW2 veteran, and they resided together in Great Falls until his death.

A Montanan influencer before the TikTok era, Connie -- or Bestamor to her great-grandchildren -- was a steadfast leader in her community. As a young woman, she began a storied career in the restaurant industry as a waitress, and eventually Connie owned and operated the Jack Club, a popular supper club in Great Falls that boasted dinner theater entertainment and the best half-and-half spaghetti and ravioli in town (well, family thinks so). During her business career, Connie was active with the Tavern Association, the Four Seasons Foundation, and the local Chamber of Commerce.

After Connie sold the Jack Club and retired, she continued sharing her leadership with the Great Falls community by volunteering at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, the Sons of Norway, and working part time at Lippi's Kitchen. Connie loved her family, her cats, and her home state of Montana. She also was a loyal and trustworthy friend who always showed up with empathy and a sense of humor, and was just as ready to lend an ear as she was to turn the party up a few notches. When she wasn't caring for her family, friends, and community, she enjoyed staying fit through swimming and water aerobics, and showcasing her creativity through drawing, cooking, and various needlecrafts, including quilting, needlepoint, and knitting. She also made go at Norwegian hardanger embroidery and wood carving. Connie's family and friends will lovingly remember her strength of character, pragmatic wisdom, and Norwegian pride, and Great Falls will remember her as an astute businesswoman and graciously influential citizen.

Connie was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, and husbands Glenn Tryon and Charlie Akers. She is survived by her children Chuck (Tomoko), Rick (Phyllis), and James (Dee), 6 grandchildren, and 8 great-grandchildren, sister-in-law Sharon Keeney, and many family cousins.

The family is grateful to all those who cared for Connie in her last months, to all her doctors, nurses and hospital and hospice staff, including the hospital kitchen staff who made her favorite chocolate shakes.

In Connie’s own words, as written in her Norwegian Roots family tree book: 

I don’t plan to leave for a while yet, but when I do, I don’t want people to mourn for me, because I have had a good life. Instead, have a party, laugh, say good things about me (because I’ll be listening), have a drink, sing, and dance a little. Your life is never ended when you leave children - the tree will always grow!

As per her wishes, ashes will be interred at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Great Falls in a private ceremony. We ask that those who loved Connie memorialize her in their own way. Memorials are suggested to her church, Our Savior's Lutheran Church, 1326 1st Ave. N, Great Falls, MT 59401; or Peace Hospice, mail to Benefis Foundation, PO Box 7008, Great Falls MT 59406. 

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