CONNIE FRANCIS FAN CLUB

Dear Friends,

We are a bit early with the summer newsletter because we had a newsletter ready which highlights the lovely country of Netherlands, a country that has always respected and paid loyal homage to Connie. We thank Hans Kunzel, Lucas Tuinstra, Jan de Gee and those Dutch fans who have been loyal all these years: Edward Sarosi, Alie Smit, Anny Baecklandt. Christian Meyer, Johnny Van Dan Zanden, and others who have passed on, among many others too numerous to list who have traveled all over the U.S. and Europe to see Connie. We have dedicated this newsletter to all the Dutch fans with love and admiration for their loyalty.

I first visited Holland in the late 1960s when I was still a teenager. I visited Jan de Gee (and stayed at his home) whom I hadn’t seen until 2004 when he came to Magdeburg. I wrote to several Dutch fans, most notably, the late Hein Verleun who came to America to see Connie and Lucas Tuinstra, who has remained an extremely loyal friend to Connie and myself throughout the years. I also stayed at his home and he stayed at mine. What a lovely country Holland is and it houses the most loyal and wonderful human beings. Here we bring you a little history of a country that Connie only touched the soil of for a few hours in changing planes.

The Dutch fans produced their own book as a tribute to Connie and have maintained a website for her as well. Bravo to all of you!

With this newsletter and the next, there will be no photos since most of you (with a few exceptions) have been sent the two 5x7s already which were to be included in this and the Fall newsletters. If there were any problems, please let us know.

At this writing, Belleville High School is honoring Connie with a street named in her honor as well as an auditorium. Similar projects are being worked on in South Florida. The honors pour in.

Please check the website for any new upcoming appearances which we may not have had time to include in this bulletin.

Warmest regards,
Pat and Alan