1935-2024
The sad news that Connie has died was reported by Jan Sowerbutts on 23 August 2024.
Connie was married to the late Don Burgess when she worked in HMSO. She was born on 20 October 1935 and joined HMSO in March 1969, working as Clerical Officer in Supplies Division.
The Cremation will take place at 11.30am on Monday 23rd September at Gorleston Crematorium.
The request is that attendees wear bright colours only.
David Berwick adds: I was very saddened to hear of Connie’s passing. I had the pleasure of working with Connie many years ago in, I think, the early 1970s. I knew her then as Connie Parr and she was the CO in the PP Trade Intelligence Section headed at the time by TO Bill Barker, who was a lovely man and like me was a great lover of classical music. I was a PO then and had been warned by several colleagues that the section I had just been posted to was generally known as the ‘elephant’s graveyard’ in the division. It was very much statistics based so there was a good deal of team working between the technical and clerical members. Connie was a delight to work with. Always bright and chirpy and we enjoyed much humour in the section whenever possible. Connie was of course also known for being very smartly attired. I had the great pleasure of meeting up with her many years after our HMSO days were over. Connie was the chairman of a ladies group in her village at Cantley and I went to talk to her colleagues about local history on one occasion. Other invites followed so we caught up several times, she even came to a talk I was giving in the next village on one occasion. And it was lovely to see her again and enjoy some reminiscing. She surprised me one day by telephoning me to ask for my advice regarding local printing firms. Connie told me she had written a great many poems and was thinking of getting them printed and published. I recommended one firm that I knew well and she contacted them and they agreed to help her. I have no idea how this worked out. I hope her efforts made it into print. My sincere sympathies to her daughter Cathy.
Thank you for your thoughtful reminiscence, David. Just right. The 1972 Staff List shows Connie Grace Kathleen Parr (later to become Connie Burgess, then Connie Waters) to be working in P&B, having been promoted Clerical Officer in September 1971. Charlie Walker, Olive Butler, Peter Skiggs, Ivor Hosgood, Joe Bishop, Ken Pink, Brian Lambirth, Peter Staples, Roy Plackett, Allan Reid, Bill Williamson, Pat Gormley, Brian Coussell, Ron Farebrother, Roger Nash, Trevor Priddle, Eric Hendry, Gerry Lucioli were among the long list of HMSO Printing Officers back in the day.
Best wishes, Reg.