Constance C. Thurber (Cronon) Service Information

Constance C. Thurber, 98, of Newtown, PA died on Sunday, January 5, 2020 surrounded by her family.

Connie had a long and varied career in ecumenical service to the church and was a pioneer among women church leaders. She spent her life working for peace, justice and reconciliation across the world and in her own community.

Connie was born in Minneapolis, MN on Feb. 7, 1921. She was awarded a B.A. cum laude from Macalester College in St. Paul, MN, and a M.Div. from Yale Divinity School in New Haven. She also attended the Yale Institute for Far Eastern Studies, Japanese Language School, as well as Union Theological Seminary in New York. 

Connie was among the first women to graduate from Yale Divinity School, where she met her husband, Lucius Newton Thurber. After getting married, they worked with Native Americans for a year in Oklahoma during WWII, providing community service as an expression of their pacifist beliefs.

Although women were not yet being ordained by the Presbyterian Church, in 1947 both Connie and Newt were commissioned to serve in Japan. During their two five-year terms, they helped in the rebuilding and strengthening of the Japanese ecumenical church in the post-war period. Connie taught at Doshisha University (in Japanese), focusing on women students and those preparing for ministry. She also created after-school programs for urban youth.

Following their return from Japan in 1963, Connie and her family lived in New York City and became active in Riverside Church. After moving to Montclair, NJ she served for eight years as the director of Christian education for Central Presbyterian Church. She then worked for fifteen years as the administrative associate for the joint Southern Asia office of two national church denominations at the Interchurch Center in New York.

Connie was a wonderful and loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She treasured old friends and found great joy in new ones. She deeply appreciated her bond with the members of her book group, which has met continuously since 1954. 

Connie and Newt moved into their retirement community at Pennswood Village in 1995. Following Newt’s death in early 1998, she became especially grateful for this caring community of residents and staff, which supported her renewed engagement with life. Connie served at various times on seven Pennswood committees, as well as with the Friends of Stony Point, the Union Theological Seminary’s Women’s Committee, and as a classroom volunteer at Newtown Friends School.  

Daughter of the late Edmund and Florence Cronon of Sandy Spring, MD, she was predeceased by her brother E. David Cronon of Madison, WI and survived by her sister Nancy Ball of Walla Walla, WA.

Connie is survived by her three sons and their families: David and Rujira of Chiang Mai, Thailand; John and Connie Cloonan of Lawrence Township, NJ; and Mark and Susan Galli of Belmont, MA, as well as her five grandchildren, Patrick, Elizabeth, Emilia, Laura and Nathan, and great-grandchild William.  

A memorial service will be held at Pennswood Village on Saturday, January 25, 2020 at 10:30 AM in Penn Hall, with a reception to follow. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship, 17 Cricketown Rd, Nyack, NY 10980, or to Newtown Friends School, 1450 Newtown-Langhorne Road, Newtown, PA 18940.

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