ST. JAMES — Cynthia Mary Kaye Kirwan, 66, peacefully went to be with God Saturday, July 11, 2020, surrounded by her family. A native of Buffalo, New York, she was born May 15, 1954, and raised in the Polish neighborhood of Black Rock.
From her grammar-school years at St. Florian, she grew in lifelong devotion to the faith of her ancestors. At Holy Spirit Parish in Avon Lake, Ohio, she served as a lector, extraordinary minister of communion, pre-Cana marriage preparation counselor and vacation bible school coordinator. After moving to St. James in 2012, she coordinated the lector ministry with her husband, Rob, and joined the Sacred Heart Ladies Guild. Most importantly, she believed in and was sustained by the power of prayer and the Eucharist.
Cindy always seemed to be in motion, keeping busy with her passions of golf, figure skating and volunteering. Some of her most cherished moments were at the Oberlin Golf Club with her family. She was a member of the Cleveland Edges Skating Club, an adult synchronized skating team that competed nationally, for 24 years. Over the years, she worked with St. James Service Club, American Cancer Society Relay for Life and the First Tee of Brunswick County.
She was intelligent, precise, hardworking, friendly, thoughtful, generous and competitive. She was happy playing dominoes, bunco, pinochle, canasta, and more recently, mahjongg. She immensely enjoyed living in St. James and treasured all the friendships made there.
She attended Williamsville South High School and earned degrees in education at Buffalo State University and the University of Maryland. She was an energetic, dedicated special education and third-grade teacher in Crofton, Maryland, and Avon Lake for 22 years.
She is survived by her husband of 43 years, Rob; children, Brett (Hilary), Todd (Trish) and Alanna (Jordan) Harper; grandchildren, Vivienne, John and Maeve; and sisters, Barb and Sue.
Her immediate family will hold a private Mass of Christian burial with a public memorial service and celebration of life to follow in spring 2021.
Donations may be made in her memory to the American Cancer Society or Dystonia Medical Research Foundation.
Share online condolences with the family at Brunswick Funeral Service.
