Connie Kemmerer - 69 years of Inspiration
Jackson Hole, WY

Over 69 years, Connie Kemmerer has developed remarkable depth, both as a leader with unbounding energy and as friend hell-bent on ensuring that everyone around her has the opportunity to enjoy life to the fullest.  The time we spent with her at the Wellness Festival in Sun Valley, Idaho and the week in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, it was clear that she has achieved success on every level.

If you’re among her close friends, Connie’s energy might translate to hiking together or riding on top of one of Jackson Hole’s Aerial Trams.  If you’re a member of the ‘general public’, this means being able to partake in the countless summer/fall/winter adventures that can be had at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, which is owned by Connie, her brother Jay and her sister Betty.

To help you clearly understand Connie’s passion and dedication to the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, consider that after a full day that included her climbing a 600 ft. wall several times for our film, I asked her if she would like to join us for dinner.  Her response: “I’d love to, but I need to go back up to the top of the mountain to stain a bench in the Couloir Restaurant.”

Now, that is dedication!

And yet, a sit-down interview with this very private and shy 69 year-old woman revealed a completely different side to her depth, and by speaking to her in a setting where she was completely comfortable, I was able to discover a unique perspective on just how special she is.

As Producer, it was my goal to make Connie perfectly at ease and willing to discuss candidly and openly her views on women and aging.  Whereas she admits to feeling twenty years old instead of on the bright side of seventy, she shared her beautifully honest impressions of her fears of aging, her views of old women, younger men and breast cancer as well as society’s perception of beauty.  She explained how a difficult relationship with her mother affected her well into her 40’s—a very common scenario in the lives of many women.

There is no question that the interview will be one of the highlights of the film series about women and aging.  Her dedication extends far beyond the cliffs of Jackson Hole, and deeply into the realities of growing old in 2013.