Monday, February 16, 2009

Very Sad News... Connie Maffin

I was very sad to learn that Connie Maffin passed away early this afternoon after suddenly becoming ill last week.

I came to know Connie when I lived in Logan Circle and I was privileged to serve with her on the Logan Circle Community Association board.

She was truly a matriarch of the community and the city, which she played no small part in building, promoting, selling, and loving over three decades - from the prostitute and drug dealing days to its recent renaissance. Connie was our neighborhood's voice of reason, our historian, and a good neighbor and a friend to all who knew her.

Connie will be missed, but her presence will continue to be felt and guide us for a long time to come.

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LCCA Mourns Loss of Long-Time Member Constance Maffin

(Washington, D.C) – The Logan Circle Community Association (“LCCA”) is mourning the passing of long-time member, leader, mentor, and friend Constance W. “Connie” Maffin. Connie died on February 16 after a short illness. Connie and her husband Bob were married in 1974 and lived together since then in their grand Victorian row house on the majestic stretch of Vermont Avenue N.W. just below Logan Circle. The LCCA community extends it heartfelt condolences to Bob and the entire Maffin family on their loss.

Connie was one of LCCA’s pioneering members and served as both an officer and board member numerous times. In recent years she served on the annual Holiday House Tour Committee, for which she headed up home selection and ticket sales. She was also a member of the Committee of 100, the city’s oldest planning organization and citizens’ lobby; Lambda Alpha, an international land economics society; and served as a trustee to the D.C. Preservation League.

“Connie Maffin was a household name in the D.C. civic movement, especially in Logan Circle,” said LCCA President Jennifer Trock. “She was a pillar of the community and a friend to all who had the pleasure of knowing her. Connie will be sorely missed.” LCCA Board Member and House Tour Co-Chair Tim Christensen agreed. “It was a joy to work with Connie on both a personal and professional level year after year and, frankly, we don’t know what we’re going to do without her,” he said.

Connie was an associate broker with Coldwell Banker Residential and was licensed in D.C. and Maryland since 1978. She served as chairperson of the Real Estate Board of the District of Columbia, which oversees the regulation of over 12,000 licensees in the city. She was past president of the Washington D.C. Association of Realtors and was named WDCAR’s REALTOR of the Year in 2007. She chaired the Public Policy, Residential Sales, Awards, and REALTOR Political Action Committees. In 1993 she was awarded Distinguished Sales Associate of the Year in recognition of her professionalism and commitment to the industry. She also served as a director of the National Association of REALTORS for three years.

Connie was a graduate of the Real Estate Institute and held the GRI national designation. She also completed the National Trust for Historic Preservation's historic real estate program. A native of Kansas City, Missouri, she received her M.A. in urban policy from George Washington University and her B.A. from Barat College of the Sacred Heart in Lake Forest, Illinois.

A portion of the proceeds from LCCA’s 2008 Holiday House Tour will be donated to the Susan G. Komen For the Cure Foundation in Connie’s memory. In lieu of flowers, friends are also invited to make a donation here or by mail to P.O. Box 650309, Dallas, TX 75265-0309.

A public viewing will be held at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, February 18, at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, 1725 Rhode Island Avenue, N.W., followed by a funeral mass at 10 a.m. All are invited to attend.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I met Connie at an open house about eight years ago. I instantly fell in love with her and then discovered she lived right around the corner from my new house. Even though I pressed her into service to sell two of my properties since then, I really see her as a friend. I am very saddened and I will really miss her. God bless you, Connie. I hope to see you again someday!

Anonymous said...

I had the privilege of meeting Connie through her husband Bob with whom I've spent many a year traipsing through the Balkans on assignments. Although I write this from afar (Abu Dhabi) I extend all my fond wishes and share the grief of all of those who knew and loved her. I'll miss her calling me 'dear' and that little sly laugh and smile she had especially when she was playfully bantering away with Bob. I thank my lucky stars that I was able to spend alot of time with them over the holidays. DC will not be the same. God speed, dear Connie!

Sebastiana said...

I lived as the upstairs tenant of Connie and Bob for six years and I knew dear Connie to be a lovely and exceedingly fair women. She loved the garden so much and every year would excitingly tell me what Bob would be planting. She would always invite me into her beautiful home for a glass of wine and I greatly enjoyed her vivacious company those wonderful nights. She was a beautiful person - this planet and I will greatly miss her dynamic spirit. Dearest Connie, may God be with you on your graceful walk through his gardens of transition.