Connie Lou (Nichols) Fugate “Grandma” born December 16th, 1950 to Amos “Nick” Arnold and Naomi Grace (Claunch) Nichols (later Robertson) passed away on April 6, 2023. She was preceded in death by her father Nick Arnold, mother Naomi Robinson, step father Bunyan “Robbie” Robinson, brother William “Billy” Franklin Nichols, sister Theresa “Tekie” Hauger, Husband Mark Robert Fugate, and daughters Tamara “Tammy” Marie (Ping) Brown and Kimberly “”Kim” Ann (Ping) Simon. She is survived by her sisters, Karen McKee, Sharon Pleasant, and Alma Branham, son Larry Alan (Shelli) Ping Jr, grandchildren Brian Ping, Shane (Apple) Brown, Brittany Brown, Jesse (Readawn) Brown, Dakota Ping, Karmyn Ping, and Dylan Ping, and great-grandchildren Sophia Brown, Pearl Brown, Shailinne Brown, Elias Brown, Tessa Brown, Rowan Brown, Everly Brown, Elizabeth Brown, Jace Brown, Brentley Brown, Kylie Ping, and Keegan Ping. Connie was known by many names such as Mom, Mamaw, Constance, Lou Lou, but she was probably most well known in some way as Grandma to anybody who came to know her. Grandma lived a life that most could not. Her kin were everything to her and she showed it by the way she loved them unconditionally. She was someone who went through far too much heartache, pain, and loss to be experienced by an individual, and yet, grandma tried her best to live a life that would bless those who were most important to her. In many ways, this is what she may be most well known for, loving sacrifice. Anyone would have to be blind to not recognize the sacrifices she made to keep her family afoot, often laying aside her own health, needs, and interests to make it happen. The impact Grandma had on our lives is why we will miss her more than we can imagine. Grandma grew up an avid lover of Elvis; that was, to whom she would explain to anyone that asked, her man. Often, when an Elvis song came on, you had better been ready to dance with her. Let’s also not forget, she loved her Pepsi. She nearly drank it everyday. Not only did grandma love these things and her family though, she loved to go camping, have family reunions, 1 going to Florida, baby-sitting her grand and great-grandchildren (often spoiling them), enjoying her sisters’ day, going to the Covered Bridge Festival, and so many other things. There are really not enough words, nor paper, to express the kind of person she was. One thing that is important to note though, is that she had a faith in Jesus, though often tested, that never left her. Over the past couple years she experienced a little bit of a revival in her own heart as she began worshipping at First Baptist Church in Mooresville, IN with her grand and greatgrandchildren. She would speak of, and pray for, her desire for her children, grand children, and great-grandchildren to have a genuine faith in Jesus Christ that would transform them and make them new as the Bible teaches in Colossians 3 (I would challenge you to read this). This could also be exemplified in her fascination of and desire to sing the hymns “Amazing Grace” and “How Great Thou Art.” Grandma has passed on and is suffering no more, and as much as we miss her and will continue to miss her, her legacy will live on, her time in heaven is now eternal, and the glory of the Father impressed on her right now is only something we can all long for ourselves.
A funeral service will take be Saturday, April 15, 2023, at the First Baptist Church of Mooresville, 680 N. Indiana street, Mooresville, Indiana 46158, starting at 12:00 noon with a viewing starting at 10:00am until time of the service.
Interment at Floral Park Cemetery.