Constance "Connie" Maria (Cultra) Bales

Constance “Connie” Bales, 92 of Wellington, Kansas passed away Monday, September 2, 2019 at the Sumner Hospital in Wellington, Kansas.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday at 10:00 A.M., September 7, 2019 at the St. Anthony/St. Rose Catholic Church in Wellington. Burial will be in the Sumner Memorial Gardens Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Friday from 9:00 A.M. until 5:00 P.M at the Shelley Family Funeral Home.  Prayer Vigil and Rosary will be held at 7:00 P.M. Friday evening at the St Anthony/St. Rose Catholic Church in Wellington. A memorial has been established with the St. Anthony/St. Rose Catholic Church or the Veterans Memorial Room at the Memorial Auditorium. 

Constance Maria Bales was born on March 25, 1927 the daughter of Clyde and Annette “Nettie” (Smith) Cultra in Herington, KS. She was a graduate of the Herington High School. On June 5, 1948 she was united in marriage with Jerry Bales. Connie graduated from K.U. majoring in Physical Therapy in 1949. She was always proud that her state P.T. license number was 0007 and she kept that license active and practiced until age 88. Connie and Jerry moved to Wellington in 1953 purchasing the Watkins Drug Store and changing the name to the Chief Drug Store. Connie helped Jerry operate the drug store as well as continuing her P.T. career. She could be seen at the store doing anything from checking in orders, working behind the counter or even wrapping packages. Connie and Jerry owned and operated the store until 1985 when they closed the store. Connie was very involved in the Wellington Community. She was a founding member of the Wellington Community Theater and Community Choir. She was a member of the Art Association and the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority. Connie was a faithful, very active member of the St. Anthony/ St. Rose Catholic Church, participating in choir, faith education, and multiple other roles. She was also a recipient of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Service Award. More recently Connie became involved in and served on the Memorial Auditorium Board. She was involved in organizing the Veterans Memorial Room, gathering and displaying information with the history of local veterans.

She will be deeply missed by her family. Survivors include her husband Jerry Bales of Wellington; daughter, Janice Dixon and husband David of Wichita, KS; daughter, Jeannie Weber and husband Dale of Wellington; son, Jim Bales and wife Sunni of Wellington; daughter, Julie Buresh of Wichita; and son, John Bales and wife Neta of Wellington; 19 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren.

Connie is preceded in death by her parents, and a grandson, Christopher Bales.

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