NELSON-WISE CONSTANCE RUTH Constance "Connie" Ruth Nelson-Wise, age 67, passed from this life with her sister by her side on December 29, 2015, after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Connie was born June 12, 1948, in Massillon, Ohio to the late Eric and Ruth (Hax) Nelson. She was a 1966 graduate of Jackson Memorial High School. She received her BA in music education from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, and her master's in social work from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her husband, Mark Wise. After receiving her BA, Connie taught music for a year in Jackson, Ohio. She then moved to Detroit, MI where she spent several years doing parish work for the Lutheran Church before deciding to pursue an MA in social work. Connie began her career as a social worker at Henry Ford Hospital and then at Beaumont Hospital in Grosse Pointe. She relocated to Pittsburgh, PA in the mid 1980s where she continued her social work career at Magee Women's Hospital until her retirement in 2013. It is in Pittsburgh where she met her husband, with whom she spent many happy years until his passing in 2004. Connie had a passion for travel and never turned down an opportunity to experience new places with family and friends. Another passion was music and she especially loved attending the Pittsburgh Symphony, Bach choral concerts, Broadway shows, and jazz performances. Growing up Connie was an active member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Massillon and more recently was a member of The Episcopal Church of the Holy Cross in Pittsburgh. Connie is survived by her sister, Jennifer Nelson-Maurer and brother-in-law, Craig Maurer; and beloved cousin, Ted Hax; as well as many dedicated and close friends who had also been by her side throughout her illness. Connie will be remembered by those who knew her for the diversity of her friends, her accepting attitude, her loving and gentle ways, her generosity and the grace with which she handled her illness. Oh, and of course, there were her "Porch Parties" which were legendary. The family would like to thank all her friends and caregivers for their love and support during the time of her illness. They would also like to express sincere appreciation to the staff at Presbyterian and Montefiore Hospitals and Concordia of South Hills, for their professional care and kind attention. Friends will be received at JOHN A. FREYVOGEL SONS, INC. (freyvogelfuneralhome.com) 4900 Centre Avenue at Devonshire Street on Sunday, January 3, 2016, from 1-4 p.m. and Monday, January 4, 2016, from 10-11 a.m. in The Episcopal Church of the Holy Cross (7507 Kelly Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15208) followed by the Funeral Service at 11 a.m. Interment in Mt. Lebanon Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to The Episcopal Church of the Holy Cross, 7507 Kelly St., Pgh., PA 15208 or "Feeding the Spirit" (soup kitchen), 611 Southwest Avenue, Greensburg, PA 15601 or the Pittsburgh Symphony Inc., 600 Penn Avenue, Pgh., PA 15222. Send condolences post-gazette.com/gb