Cindy Lou Haynes, 52, died June 24, 2009, after a courageous battle with breast cancer.
At her request, there will be no service. A family memorial service will be scheduled later.
Cindy was born on March 19, 1957, at Burns to Harvey Lauren “Pete” and Mary Ellen Mathews Haynes. At the age of 15, Cindy went to work as a nurses assistant for the sisters of St. Francis at St. Elizabeth Nursing Home in the old hospital.
After graduating from Baker High School in 1975, Cindy attended Treasure Valley Community College at Ontario where she graduated from nursing school as a licensed practical nurse. Cindy spent many years working for St. Elizabeth Hospital.
She volunteered for the Red Cross and caring for her friends and family. She always spoke so fondly with a possessive nature about “her patients” and the families she met and cared for along the way, her family said.
In 2003, Cindy reconnected with her high school sweetheart, Dennis Kirby, and moved to Clackamas. She and Dennis spent many days traveling, camping, beachcombing, visiting family and geocaching. But as life would have it, her new-found companionship and happiness would also come with disappointment.
In 2003, Cindy was diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. Even though the news was devastating, Cindy faced it with courage and embraced it as a new-found endeavor in life, family members said.
She made herself an advocate for others who also faced the cancer journey and would seek them out in a crowd just to offer her love and moral support. Cindy never passed on an opportunity to help someone in need, no matter how difficult the circumstances.
Cindy was passionate about her family and loved spending time with them. Some of her fondest memories were family gatherings and playing music at “Mom and Dad’s Miller Street house,” family reunions and potato harvest at the ranch in Unity and the cherished years she spent raising her children, Celinda, Jake and Brandon.
Cindy was a talented artist, musician, singer, doll maker, seamstress, cook, animal lover, nurse, volunteer, comedian confidant and a beloved companion, mother, sisters, aunt and friend, her family said.
Survivors include her sweetheart, Dennis Kirby of Clackamas; her daughter, Celinda Linscott of Baker City; her sons, Jake Westgaard of Clackamas and Brandon Henner of Baker City; grandchildren, Austin Peck of Baker City and Chelsea Kirby of Clackamas; her sister, Marilyn Shollenberger, and her husband, Keith, of Baker City; nieces, Lauri Hoopes and her husband, John, of Baker City and Amy Johnson and her husband, Scott, of Boise; nephews, Tom Caylor and his wife, Tracy, of Shoshone, Idaho, and Brian Shollenberger of Walla Walla, Wash.; grandparents, Matlon and Cathy Hicks of Kamaih, Idaho; nine great-nieces and great-nephews; and numerous extended family members and life-long friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Pete and Mary Haynes.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society Relay for Life or a charity of one’s choice.
Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, June 26, 2009
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor