It is such a honor to me to even be writing this blog – a few weeks ago I got a text from one of my college roommates saying “We are ordering more Team Cindy shirts, do you want one?” I responded immediately with “YES!!”

If we back up a little bit, I met Julie (college roomie) in 2003 and within 9-ish months of our meeting we became roommates.  Right around the time I met Julie her mom was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer.  I know the news had to come as a shock and heart break to Julie, her sister, Cynthia, and their dad.  And in the times I first met Cindy and when she would come down to College Station for a visit, I’d never thought she was anything but a healthy lady with a contagious joy for life and her family.

 
Cindy was one of those moms of your friends that you immediately fell in love with and always enjoyed having the opportunity to be around and in truth she has passed that along to her daughters, as well as marrying a man that contains the same quality.

 
The very last time I was around Cindy was in roughly July of 2009 – I had gotten together with Julie, her husband, Cynthia, her boyfriend (and future husband) and another couple for a low-key dinner at Julie’s house.  After dinner we decided to play cranium so Cindy came over to hangout and give us an even number for teams.  She just fit right in and never seemed like a mom who had 20 years on us.  I could always see how Cindy’s daughters were her passion and so important to her.  She loved and adored Julie & Cynthia and never in an overbearing way – I always viewed her as a close to perfect balance of being a mom and a friend to her daughters.

One of the things I loved hearing about Cindy, prior to my meeting her, was she had been an elementary school teacher for years, and I believe before every school year the kids who would find out Mrs. Death was their teacher would come up with these stories of how scary she must be!  How silly they must have felt upon meeting her that first day of school and realizing there is absolutely nothing scary about Cindy Death.

 
In the early months of 2010, Cindy began to experience organ failure as a result of all the chemo she had received.  Many nights were spent in the hospital with Cindy surrounded by her loving family.  Cynthia was scheduled to be married in early May, but it started to look like Cindy would not be able to be there unless the wedding was moved up.  Everything actually fell into place and Cynthia’s wedding was moved up by a little over a month.  But there was yet another hiccup in the plans for Cynthia & Mike’s wedding and having Cindy be there – she would not be able to leave the hospital.  The last Friday of February the wedding was brought to the hospital so that Cindy could see her baby girl get married. 

Julie, Cindy & CynthiaThe entire Death Family & their spouses - Jimmy, Mike, Cynthia, Julie, Jeff and Cindy