Kaneko "Konnie" Abbey

Kaneko (Iwata) Abbey, 100, passed away on April 21, 2025, in Golden, Colorado. Konnie was born November 15, 1924, in Nagoya, Japan and was the daughter of Motoichi and Tomiko Iwata. She married a U.S. Airman, Walter Abbey of Greenwood, Mississippi in Nagoya in 1957.

Konnie and her family made many moves over the 20 years of Walter’s military service. Their many assignments included tours in Japan, Rome, New York, Denver and Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Anchorage, Alaska. After Walter’s retirement the family settled in Colorado Springs, and upon Walter’s death in 2005 Konnie moved to Golden to be near her daughter Kathy and her husband Rick. Konnie was the first resident of Golden Pond Retirement Community and spent the last 20 years of her life there.

Konnie was an expert seamstress and tailor and specialized in making suits for hard-to-fit men, including a tall, skinny airman who would become her husband. She was able to create the latest fashions for her daughters and herself and was known among the residents of Golden Pond for being elegantly dressed in her own designs. Her most prized creations were the hand-sewn classic wedding gowns she lovingly made for her daughters Kathy and Ann.

Konnie was also an accomplished pianist, having learned to play at age 4, and enjoyed playing difficult pieces well into her 90s. Her favorite composer was Chopin.

Konnie had considerable artistic talent that she exercised in many different mediums. She created beautiful stained glass lamps and window hangings. Her Japanese calligraphy was featured in local art shows in Colorado Springs, and she also dabbled in oil painting and batik. She also enjoyed all needle arts, including knitting, crocheting, needlepointing, and cross stitching.

Konnie was also an excellent cook. She made excellent challah bread and strudel from recipes she got from fellow military wives and would enlist her entire family to pound the strudel dough to arrive at the perfect flaky crust that made it so delicious. A family favorite was her take on tacos with a Japanese flair.

Konnie was always physically fit, enjoying skiing and swimming as a youth in Japan. She continued to enjoy swimming into her seventies and also participated in aerobics for many years.

All of Konnie’s children, their spouses, grandchildren and great grandchildren had the privilege of celebrating her 100th birthday with her in Golden.

Konnie was truly a one-of-a-kind woman who made an impression on everyone she met. She may have been small in stature, but she had a big personality and a strong will that helped her overcome the many obstacles she encountered during her century on earth. She will be truly missed, and her memory will live on.

Konnie was preceded in death by her parents, husband Walter, son Hiroshi, brother Shuhei and sister Masako. She is survived by sisters Hideko, Kazuko, and Michiko, all living in Japan. She is further survived by daughters Kathryn Rebecca Forwood (Rick) of Arvada, Colorado and Elizabeth Ann Ackley (Mike) of Fairview Heights, Illinois, grandchildren Sean Ackley (Susie) and Elissa Grover (Brent), and 10 great grandchildren.

Burial will be at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, with a brief gathering at 11:00 AM on Monday, April 28. Friends wishing to attend should enter Fort Logan at the Kenyon Gate and arrive at Staging Area A near the Fort Logan Admin Office 15 minutes before the ceremony. A cemetery representative will escort vehicles to the shelter where the gathering will be held.

The family would like to thank the staff at Golden Pond Retirement Community and Bloom Hospice for the loving care they provided to Konnie in her final days.