Constance Warnken Kollodziej

Constance Warnken Kollodziej, age 83, passed away peacefully in her home on September 2, 2024.  She was born October 22, 1940, on her dad’s birthday, to Victor F. and Lillie Schneider Warnken at the Nix Hospital in San Antonio, TX. Connie was a longtime resident of Poth, TX. She graduated from Poth High School in 1959. After graduating from Poth High School, she attended San Antonio College, Our Lady of the Lake University, then graduated from Trinity University in 1963 with a B.A. in Education. In the fall of 1963, she started her teaching career with the San Antonio ISD. She loved teaching and loved all her students, especially her time with Floresville ISD.

On June 13, 1964, she married her high school sweetheart, Alois “Al” Kollodziej, Jr. In 1969, Al & Connie moved back to Poth where she continued her teaching career and retired after 30+ years in education. Together, they had two children, Landry in 1969 and Dawn in 1970.

Connie was preceded in death by her beloved parents and her favorite cousin, Marla McCarty. She is survived by her loving husband of 60 years, Al Kollodziej, son Landry (Dr. Helené Glanz) of Austin, TX, and daughter Dawn Kollodziej (William Worthy) of Poth. Grandson Brock Kerby (Payton Jones) and granddaughter Claire Kerby (Riley Billings).

Connie loved to travel. Her and Al made many memorable trips, all planned by Connie, to several islands in the Caribbean, Austria, New Guinea, New Zealand, Australia, Africa, and several countries in Europe. She and Al loved saltwater fishing, especially Baffin Bay and Rockport with their dear friends and fishing partners, Fabian and Helen Jo Pawelek. While teaching, she managed to raise two wonderful kids, one graduated from Texas A&M, and one graduated from Texas Lutheran College. All the while, she kept a beautiful flower garden, an immaculately clean house, cooked marvelous meals, and baked mouth watering sweets. Friends and family would always say her house was so clean you could eat off the floor.

The family wishes to thank the wonderful nurses from New Century Hospice, especially Amanda.  Also, special thanks to her dedicated care providers and friends, Martha Martinez, Isabel Molina, and Sandra Ximenez.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. John’s Lutheran Church of Denhawken, 3778 SH 119, Stockdale, TX 78160 or Wilson County Cats, 8806 US HWY 181, Floresville, TX 78114 or www.facebook.com/WilCoCats.

Pallbearers will be Derek Jung, John Bertrand, James Warnken, Thomas Kolodziej, Brock Kerby, and Riley Billings.

Visitation will be held Friday, September 20, 2024, from 2:00PM to 3:00PM at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Denhawken, TX, followed by the funeral service at 3:00PM. Entombment will follow at Blessed Sacrament Mausoleum in Poth, TX. Arrangements in the care of Franklin Funeral Home, Floresville, TX.