AUGUSTA - Constance (Connie) Rodriguez passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family after a brief illness. She was born in Gardiner, Maine on June 21, 1940, to Paul LeClair and Josephine (Clary) LeClair. She went through the Gardiner School System and graduated from Gardiner Area High School in 1958. After graduation she went to work for the State of Maine from the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to the Department of Transportation where she retired in 1994. Anyone who knew her would tell you that Connie was an independent and headstrong woman. Riding her motorcycle around town, living her best life and traveling with her best friend since 4th grade, Carolyn McAuslin. In 1969, when he came back from Vietnam, she married Bertin Rodriguez in Ambridge, Pennsylvania. They lived in Fort Gordon, Georgia from 1970-1975 where her daughter Amy was born and then they moved up to Pittston, Maine. She and her family lived in Pittston with her dad, Paul, for a little bit and later, Connie, Rod, and Amy moved to Randolph into the house where she lived until 2012. Her granddaughter, Reagan, was the light of her life. Even in hospice before she faded away into sleep her face would light up whenever Reagan entered the room and while she was strong enough, she would put her arms out and say, "Hello" while Reagan went in for a hug. The two of them were peas in a pod. For Reagan's whole life, from nights whispering and giggling before bed, to grabbing snacks out of the kitchen so they could cozy up in Grandma's room watching a show, they were inseparable. She was predeceased by her husband, Bertin "Rod" Rodriguez; her father, Paul LeClair; mother, Josephine (Clary) LeClair; brother, Paul "Bud" LeClair; sister, Susan (LeClair) Fitzmaurice; and stepmother, Amelia (Ouellette) LeClair. She is survived by her daughter, Amy Beiermeister (Kurt); beloved granddaughter, Reagan; longtime friend, Carolyn McAuslin; goddaughter, Dixie Doyle; brothers, Greg (Brenda), Mike (Linda), and Robert (Nancy) LeClair; sister, Gloria Lucas, and many many nieces, nephews, and cousins. Connie's family will miss everything about her, especially her smile, laugh, mountain of ice cream in the freezer, and breakfast pastries on the counter. We would like to thank everyone at Glenridge and Comfort Care for the compassion and care they gave mom while she was there. They were amazing with her needs and with us, and for that I will be forever grateful. Per my mom's wishes, there will be no funeral service. She will be interred at the Maine Veterans Cemetery with my dad. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to MaineGeneral Hospice Comfort Care Unit P.O. Box 828, Waterville, ME 04903-0828 or online at https://give.mainegeneral.org/hospice . Arrangements and guidance are in the care of Staples Funeral Home and Cremation Care, 53 Brunswick Avenue, Gardiner, Maine.