Connie Rae Pectol

Connie Rae Pectol, 83 years young, passed away peacefully at her home on Saturday, February 11, 2023. She was born February 4, 1940, in Myton, Utah to Alvan J. Pectol and Wilma Ethel (Bowden) Pectol. Connie was a resident of Saint George, Utah for the past eleven years. She is preceded in death by her life companion David L. Simon, her parents Alvan J Pectol and Wilma Ethel Bowden, and one brother, Jay Pectol.

Connie was raised near the beautiful coastline of Humboldt County, California. Her adventures began when she worked as a secretary for the FBI in San Francisco. She went on to graduate from Brigham Young University with an education degree and accepted a teaching position in southern Los Angeles public schools. She went into banking, and it was while working as a banker she meet her life companion, David L. Simon. She would fondly tell you that on their first date she knew he was her person. They made a life in Los Angeles before moving to Las Vegas. Connie continued her adventures with her loving David as they traveled all across the United States and abroad. She would tell you stories of their trips but Egypt and Israel both held special places in her heart.

It was in Las Vegas where Connie’s career and philanthropic works made the most impact for her. Connie’s passion was for the children and at the Children’s Hospital in Las Vegas she help parents and families with the financial burdens after their child lost their battle with cancer. Connie is a fierce fighter and survived her own battle with colon cancer but lost her long-time companion to cancer shortly after that. She wanted to honor the love of her life and continue their charitable work by creating the David L. Simon Foundation in Las Vegas. It was through the foundation that she was able to fulfill both hers and David philanthropic causes by funding many noble causes including the financing to build a religious school at a temple in Henderson. She was able to honor her life companion, David L. Simon with naming rights to the religious school.

If one thing about Connie Rae Pectol, it is she lived her life on her terms and was fond of the words on the wall of Mother Teresa’s home for children in Calcutta, India. These words are associated with the Missionaries of Charity and express the spirit in which Connie lived her life:

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others can destroy overnight. Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do Good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.

Even with her passing, she continues to help others through her charity work for children, veteran and law enforcement injured in the line of duty, and caregiver support. The family asks in lieu of flowers donations be made to Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation ( https://nvccf.org/donate ) in her name, Connie Rae Pectol.

Arrangements are made under the direction of Spilsbury Mortuary, 110 S Bluff Street, St. George, Utah. 435-673-2454. Family and friends are invited to leave a memory on Connie’s obituary page at www.spilsburymortuary.com