As received from the Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home. If you have questions about, or potential corrections to the content, please contact the funeral home directly.
Constance (“Connie”) Mae Geranen Sarya passed away peacefully on February 15, 2026 at the age of 90. She was born on April 19, 1935 in Lake Norden, South Dakota as the youngest of Oscar and Mamie Geranen’s 12 children. Her family eventually moved to Detroit, where Connie graduated from Cass Technical High School in 1953. This is where she met her husband, Arnold Sarya, who was one class ahead of her. They married on September 24, 1955, living in married student housing at the University of Michigan while Arnold was in dental school. They then spent two years in Kansas City, while Arnold was getting his MS in Orthodontics from the University of Missouri. Arnold started his orthodontic practice in Traverse City, Michigan in 1960 where they raised their family.
For much of their married lives, Connie was in the background of her husband’s many community activities. Arnold was the visionary, but all who knew them as a couple realized that she was the backbone of the family. She provided a warm and welcoming home to many guests, who were often invited at the last moment, and she gave each of her children a stable and loving childhood.
Connie and Arnold shared a passion for service to their community and enjoyed traveling the state of Michigan together when Arnold was the Governor of the Kiwanis Club of Michigan. They were also very patriotic, becoming founding members of the Constitution Celebration, organizing and promoting the annual celebration of the signing of the Constitution of the United States.
Connie had a passion to seek natural health solutions. She read anything that might help her family attain better health and passed on that information to her kids. This quest led her to pursue the Amway and Nikken businesses.
She supported her husband fully when he felt the need for Traverse City to have an indoor ice arena. Building and running the Glacier Dome was an extraordinary feat, with many hours of work on her end, and yet she always had a positive attitude. Many happy family memories are of skating parties at the Dome.
Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ was central to her life which she exemplified through a heart of service in the church. She was content doing the work that did not get attention. She had a love of music and enjoyed singing alto in church choirs starting as a young girl and continuing into adulthood. Singing was also part of the daily life in the Sarya household. Many evenings were spent with her family singing hymns while she accompanied on the piano. Eventually their hearts led Arnold and Connie to become founding members of Family of Faith Lutheran Church in 2007.
She is preceded in death by her husband Arnold in 2011, and all of her siblings. She is survived by all six of her children: Becky (Paul) Saleh, Arne (Caroline), Ann Hern, John (Lori), David (Gwen) and Daniel (Julie). She also is survived by twelve grandchildren: Cullen Jamison, Laura Gilliland, Eric Saleh, Anna Ciesinski, Justin Saleh, Michael Hern, Margaret Hern, Jack Hern, Patrick Hern, Luke Sarya, Matthew Sarya, and Lilly Sarya. She was also blessed to have 9 great-grandchildren.
There will be a viewing from 2:00pm to 4:00pm at Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home on Saturday, February 21, 2026 followed by a funeral service at 4:00pm, also at the funeral home, 305 Sixth St. Traverse City, MI.
The family would like everyone to know that she passed comfortably and that we are thankful for the people of Traverse Manor for the care, love and help that made her final years the best they could be. They called her “The Mayor” because she made sure that everyone there felt as much at home as she did.
In lieu of flowers, we ask that donations be given to Family of Faith Lutheran Church. Checks can be sent to PO Box 7061 Traverse City, MI 49696 or Venmo to Family of Faith Lutheran Church @familyoffaithtc.
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