Constance "Connie" Elizabeth Troullos

On November 2, 2021 Constance Saunders Troullos, age 86, of Destin FL, joined her beloved husband Rev. Phillip R Troullos in heaven. 

Connie was born August 20, 1935 in New York City, the first born to Elizabeth "Betty" Harwood Creighton Saunders Taylor and John Creighton.  At the age of 5 she and her beloved brother Pinkie were adopted by their mother's new husband, RAdm William "Hitch" V. Saunders, and the family moved to Coranado CA, where she and her brother made many happy childhood memories.  After several military moves the family found themselves post career in Toronto, Canada where Connie attended Ontario College of Art.  She met Phillip while working in New York City and after a whirlwind romance they married, and had three daughters.   Connie was active in local and State politics during their years in New York and Massachusetts.  When they moved to Baton Rouge, LA she opened a gift shop which showcased her designs in copper.  It was during this period of time that Connie and Phillip accepted Jesus as their Savior and began holding Bible studies in their home, and the Lord blessed them by healing Connie of lupus, with which she had suffered for more than 10 years.  Heeding God's call, they moved to Destin, FL and began holding Bible studies in their home, gradually expanding to rented facilities, working with people struggling with drugs and alcohol.  Eventually it grew into Family Christian Fellowship, with church services, college level biblical studies, and international missionary outreaches.  

Connie loved to garden, and her home overflowed with plants and cuttings in various stages of growth being nurtured into gifts which she gave to friends and family.  She was a gifted artist, and her children and grandchildren found themselves digging through her trash to salvage her paintings after she tossed them away because they did not meet her self-expectations. Connie loved to socialize and entertain often, throwing impromptu dinner parties.  She was full of life and curiosity, could never resist a dare, and never failed to make her husband laugh.  Over the course of their 60-year marriage, Connie and Phillip enjoyed traveling to places warm and sandy, visiting museums and attending plays and concerts.  She was the light and love of her husband's life and we rejoice that they are dancing in heaven.

She is survived by her daughters, Catherine "Kitty" Spicer, Theodora "Taddie" Spurlock, and Stephanie Schwandt, all of Destin, FL, her brother, LCdr Franklin "Pinkie" Saunders (ret) of Dallas TX, and her sister, Susan "Craig" Saunders Ellis of Toronto Canada.  She was the doting grandmother to nine grandchildren (Crystal Spicer Hawks, Carlie Spicer Carson, Ian Spurlock, Virginia Spurlock, Caroline Spurlock, Phillip Schwandt, Victoria Schwandt, Christina Schwandt, and Alexandria Schwandt) and three great grandchildren (Hayden Hawks, Hadley Hawks, Holden Hawks).