Constance Hibbard

Born April 20, 1916 in Waterloo, Iowa, Constance was the first born and daughter of Patrick and Mary Brown. Constance attended grade and high school at St. Mary's in Waterloo. After graduation she attended the University of Iowa where she received both a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Arts. After graduating Constance taught high school in Iowa for four years. In 1942 she returned to the University of Iowa securing a Graduate Teaching Assistantship while pursuing a Master and all requirements for the profession of Dietetics. The following year she was admitted to the Nutrition Internship program at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio. At the end of her internship she graduated as a Registered Dietitian. The following two years she worked in hospitals and clinic in both Iowa and Washington, eventually settling in Sacramento where she worked at Mercy Hospital. While at Mercy Hospital a sales rep set her up on a blind date with Leonard Hibbard. Within three months they were married at St. Francis Catholic Church. In 1948 and 1950 she gave birth to Michael and William and at that time she retired from full time employment. While she devoted most of her time to the children she did continue working as a Dietitian consulting clinics and small convalescent hospitals. She retired at the age of 78. Constance also did volunteer work at the Sacramento Heart Association as a Dietitian for 30+ years. She was a founding member of the Sacramento chapter to the Northern California Dietetic Association. Additionally, she has been a member for over 40 years of the American Dietetic Association and over 50 years as a member in the American Association of University Women. Other memberships include Holy Spirit Church, AAUW Book Club, Alter Society, Senior Club and 2080 Club. Constance played the piano and had a great love of music and the theater. She sang in the high school Glee Club, and acted in both the high school operetta and school plays. After her retirement she enjoyed cooking, needle point, sewing, music, gardening, reading, china painting, lunch at Vic's Ice Cream aka Grandmother's Kitchen with grandsons Jason and Kevin, and weekly lunch or dinner with her granddaughter Teresa and her college friends on the 'Girls Night Out.' Her motto to the grandchildren was if you're driving, I am buying. Up until the age of 93 she lived in the same home purchased in 1947. At the request of her children and with great resistance, she moved from Sacramento to Santa Rosa where she could be near her son Michael. She is survived by sons, Michael and William; their wives, Leslie and Linda; stepdaughter, Arden Hume; grandchildren, Scott, Jeff, Teresa, Kevin, Amy and Jason; and brother, Robert Brown. Preceding her in death was her husband, Leonard in 1976, and her siblings of Patrick, Patricia, and Richard. A Rosary service was held be on Tuesday afternoon 3 pm at W.F. Gormley & Sons Chapel Sons, 2015 Capitol Avenue in Sacramento. A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Wednesday morning at Holy Spirit Catholic Church on William Land Park Drive, at 10:00 A.M. Donations in her name may be made to the American Heart Association.