Obituaries

Constance German was born on February 5, 1958 in Coahoma County, MS to Thomas and Mattie German. The seventh of thirteen children born to this union, she took tremendous pride in telling others that she was from Dog Bog, MS. She had three additional sisters. Constance received Christ at an early age and was a member of Beautiful Zion M.B. Church. She spent her entire life actively serving in her church. Her education began at Hull Elementary School in Friars Point, MS. From there, she transitioned to Coahoma Agricultural High School where she graduated as an honor student in 1976.

Upon graduating high school, she matriculated to Coahoma Community College and received an Associate of Art in Mathematics degree. She continued on to the University of Mississippi in Oxford, MS where she majored in mathematics. She completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1980 and later obtained a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science degree in 1981.

After completion of her bachelor degrees, she continued her studies in Computer Science and earned a Master of Science degree. Simultaneously, she returned to Coahoma Community College to become an instructor of computer science. It was here she met the hunk of her life, Edgar Bland Jr., and on November 30, 1985 they were joined in Holy Matrimony. From this union, two beautiful daughters were born – Amanda Miriam Bland and Hilliary Mattie Bland.

In 1991, the family of four moved from Coahoma to Mississippi Valley State University, where Constance began her tenure as a professor of computer science. During this time, she once again enrolled at the University of Mississippi, and in 1998, she received her Doctor of Philosophy degree in Computer Engineering. In 1999, she became chair of the Mathematics, Computer and Information Sciences Department at MVSU. In this capacity, her passion for the sciences, resilience for achievement, and loyalty to helping others succeed allowed her to impact hundreds of deserving students, colleagues, and friends. In March 2014, she assumed the position of Vice President of Academic Affairs at MVSU, which allowed her to expand her scope of impact. She served in this position until she departed this earth on October 9, 2018.

She leaves to cherish her memory a loving husband, Edgar; two daughters; Amanda (Marcus) Philips and Hilliary (Derio) Spivey; one grandson; Taylan Ross; two granddaughters; Blake and Bailee Spivey; six brothers; Thomas German, Lorenzo German, Cleo German, Leo German, Vernon (Alma) German and Melvin (Sonya) German; four sisters; Irene German, Ruby Simpson, Mary Howard and Nola (Alvin) Bowden; two stepsisters; Evelyn and Hazel; mother-in-law; Etta Bland; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, brother-in-laws, sister-in-laws, colleagues, students and friends. She greatly inspired and impacted all who knew her, and she will sincerely be missed.