Cynthia Ann Ryan, 74, of Fair Grove, MO. passed away on April 24, 2019 in a way we might all hope for at the end - in her bed surrounded by her loving family. 74 years is a long time to be a part of this world, and Cindy made every day count. She was the daughter of Carson and Gertrude Stubblefield, born on October 20 ^th , 1944 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. There she grew up in a crowded house with two brothers and two sisters - Bill, Lee, Neeve, and Rosemary. She attended school in Pierceville, Kansas and worked hard to make a living in sales and as a supervisor. However her passion was nurturing and she soon found out that the reason God put her on this earth was to become the cornerstone foundation of her family that everyone would rely upon.

One day a young man named Floyd Ryan was riding his brand-spankin' new motorcycle through the quiet town of Pierceville, when he caught sight of the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. He asked her if she needed a ride, she agreed and hopped on the backseat- the rest was history. A year later they were married. Just like the trees whizzing by Cindy on that first ride on the back of that motorcycle, life can blur past you at 60 mph, and before they knew it, they had four unique and quirky kids to take care of- two boys and two girls- Jerry, Terry, Helen and Christy. If you have the pleasure of meeting any of these kids today, they are a little older now, with kids of their own, but you can catch a glimpse of the kind of person that Cindy was because they all got a piece of that shine she had.

If Cindy wasn't as talented and determined at being the best wife, mother and grandmother anyone could ask for, she would have made one hell of a stand-up comedian. She had a gift for making people laugh and she would join in with a bright smile that would light up a room. She loved fishing, roses, frogs and lighthouses and she was world famous for her home-made chicken noodle soup that would warm your heart on the coldest day. She was a modern-day Calamity Jane with her sharpshooting abilities with her trusted ZZ rifle and some days she would pack the kids into her favorite Volkswagen and go bouncing through the pasture to hunt rabbits- she rarely came back to the farm empty handed. She treasured holidays, especially Halloween when she would throw hay in the truck bed and drive all the kids in the neighborhood around to go trick-or-treating.

Cindy Ryan was a strong woman, who worked hard and loved her family harder. She battled her COPD condition to the bitter end and never stopped caring for those around her. Wherever she is now, she lives on in our memories and her presence will be missed by all that knew her. I like to think she is in a better place, peaceful and without pain- cracking jokes with St. Peter at the gate. I Imagine her pointing down at her family saying, "you keep an eye on those troublemakers, they're a real hoot, aren't they?"