Constance “Connie” Lux

Constance “Connie” Krabbe Lux died peacefully on March 19, 2026. She was 86 years old.

Connie was born in Cicero, Illinois on October 10, 1939. She is preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, F. David Lux, her father Albert J. Krabbe, her mother Doris Anderson Krabbe, her sister Lynne Vanderwielen (Larry), her sister Phoebe Herr (Glenn), and her sister Annie Arth (Tom). She is survived by her sister Aldora Parker (Rick) and five children: Theresa Lux in Hingham, MA; Nina Brahm (Terry) in Indianapolis, IN; Susie Eros (Alex) in Lafayette, IN; David Lux in Lafayette, IN; and John Lux (Danielle) in Costa Mesa, CA. She is also survived by 12 grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Connie lived in Oak Park, Illinois until January 1942, when her father received orders from the U.S. Army to report to Ft. Bragg, NC as a Field Artillery Officer. For the next four years, her family crisscrossed the country with her father eventually attaining the rank of Major. One of Connie’s earliest memories was being devastated to leave 11 pet cats at her family’s rented house in Ft. Sill, OK. Before leaving, she secretly let all the cats into the house through the unlocked back door, never breathing a word to her parents.

After the war, the family moved home to Lafayette, Indiana, where Connie graduated from Lafayette Jefferson H.S. in 1957, and Purdue University in 1962. While growing up in Lafayette, Connie spent countless weekends and summers at her family’s clubhouse on the Northwest bank of the Wabash River, which was downstream from Burnett’s Creek. It was there that she learned to swim, fish, row a boat, and run an outboard motor. She also frequently hiked to the Soldiers Home to buy an ice cream cone and visit with the residents.

After graduating from Purdue, Connie joined the Peace Corp but was persuaded to abandon her plans when she got a telex from David Lux in Sao Paulo, Brazil, asking her to reserve the church instead. David, who was working for TRW, flew home six weeks later and they were married on September 29, 1962, at St Boniface Church. Already competent in Spanish, Connie quickly picked up Portuguese and embraced the Brazilian people and culture. Dave and Connie moved back to Lafayette in 1966, with three Portuguese-speaking daughters. They added a son “David” in 1968, and thought their family was complete. But in 1983, when Connie was 43 and David was 45, they gave birth to John, and the whole family rejoiced! Connie relished being a new mom, with her only complaint being that she had to eat McDonald’s Happy Meals again.

In 1988, when Connie’s youngest son John entered Kindergarten, Ned Helmuth invited Connie to join his insurance business to sell a new product called long-term care insurance. She studied hard to become licensed and quickly became an expert in the budding field. When Ned retired, Connie started her own business called Lux Seniors Insurance. She retired in 2007.

In 1996, Connie teamed up with Sheri Hadley Helmkamp and illustrator Vicki Lord to publish a book titled, The Secrets of Bicycle Bridge. The book compiled stories and memories about the bridge in Connie’s Highland Park neighborhood that connects Shawnee Avenue with Highland Avenue across a ravine. The Highland Park Bicycle Bridge is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Over the years, Connie shared her time, talents, and treasure with countless organizations including the Red Cross, the YWCA, St. Boniface Parish, and Lafayette Catholic Schools. In 1998 and 1999, she served as President of the Greater Lafayette Association of Women Business Owners. She was a founding member of the Rotary Club of Lafayette Daybreak. In 2001, Connie traveled to India with fellow Rotarian Dr. Tom Mattingly and others to conduct an eye clinic primarily operating on people with cataracts. In 2000, she started a Rotary Interact Club at Central Catholic H.S. to help students develop leadership skills while discovering the power of Service Above Self. Connie made multiple trips with the Interact Club to San Salvador, El Salvador to clean and paint two orphanages, while engaging with the children living in the orphanages.

A lifelong devout Catholic, Connie found her true home when she became a member of the Third Order of St. Francis, known as the Secular Franciscan Order. While members do not live in a community, they gather on a regular basis, living out the Gospel according to the example of St. Francis.

Connie’s family would like to thank the staff at Westminster Village for their admirable, compassionate, competent, and loving care. The Lux family loves the staff, who treat their jobs like vocations. The family would also like to thank the staff at Franciscan Hospice.

Memorial contributions can be made in Connie’s name to the Westminster Residential Council, which funds staff holiday gifts, the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s research (michaeljfox.org) or the charity of the donor’s choice.

Visitation will be from 4:00 pm until 7:00 pm on Tuesday, May 26 at Soller-Baker Funeral Home, 400 Twyckenham Blvd., Lafayette, IN 47909.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 am on Wednesday, May 27, 2026 at St. Boniface Catholic Church, 318 N. 9th St. Lafayette, IN