Cindy Wallace

Cindy Wallace (Cynthia Ann), 74, passed peacefully in her home surrounded by love following a long illness on December 23, 2022. Cindy is survived by her daughter, Valerie, son-in-law Joe, grandchildren, Olivia and Zachary, her mother, Jean, brother John, 5 nieces, her nephew and great-nephew, and her long-time partner and companion Fred Scherrer. Cindy is preceded in death by her father, Harvey.

Cindy was born on April 23, 1948, in Upstate New York but spent most of her life in Littleton, Colorado where her parents relocated when she was quite young to finish school and raise a family. Cindy rode horses, skied, swam, and enjoyed so much of the beauty and opportunity available in her own backyard.

Cindy was always an outstanding student and loved learning. She was a member of the first graduating class at Arapahoe High School. After high school, she attended the University of Colorado where she received her B.A. in Speech Pathology and Audiology. She then attended the University of Denver earning her M.A. in Speech Pathology and Audiology and her Ph.D. in Education School Administration.

Cindy was the highly respected principal of Beacon Country Day School for over 40 years. She loved the school, staff, families, and most of all, the children. She strived for excellence every day and was extremely proud when Beacon was recognized and honored as a Blue Ribbon School in 2003. Cindy truly valued education and was a lifelong learner. In addition to her degrees in speech and education, she studied law, like her father, earning a J.D. in Law from the University of Denver, however, Cindy’s heart and passion was in education. Cindy authored many professional publications in education over the years and presented at several national conferences, but she could most often be found scurrying up and down the hallways and in the classrooms of her family's beloved school, Beacon.

Beyond her professional dedication and accomplishments, Cindy also loved adventure and rarely passed up an opportunity to have fun. She tried her hand at skydiving, trapeze lessons, scuba, learning new languages, international cuisine cooking classes, art, and writing. Additionally, Cindy was quite an accomplished flutist, played the piano and danced most of her life. She loved traveling and was lucky to have experienced so many interesting places including England, France, Italy, Ireland, Greece, Egypt, Mexico, Hawaii, and many of the states. The cultures, people, history, art, and foods of each place were fascinating and left her wanting to explore more.

As much as Cindy enjoyed traveling, she also loved being close to home. Most Christmases and summers were spent with her daughter Valerie and her two treasured grandchildren, Olivia and Zach. Her quiet home would transform into a bustling, busy house filled with the laughter and the excitement of two children so happy to see and spend time with their Ama. There were always treats waiting, fun outings, cooking projects, and movie nights. There were quiet mornings with cartoons on the tv when Cindy and Valerie could savor sipping coffee and have mother-daughter talks and dinners with Grandma Jean where four generations all sat together eating, laughing, and sharing stories. There were many lasting memories and traditions made around the table. She made her home feel like our home.

Cindy's home was also open to friends. She loved entertaining and cooking. There was always a bottle of wine to share on her beautiful patio or at the kitchen counter. She was generous with her time, attention, and friendship. She was one of the rare people who spoke from the head and the heart. She said what she thought, understood what someone needed to hear, and always knew just what to say. She was open and honest, sensitive and kind, compassionate and giving, charismatic and spirited, sassy and spunky. She had an amazing capacity to love and connect deeply. She celebrated and supported the people in her life and found joy in their joy.

In these last couple of years, Cindy found joy in the simple things. These were a few of her favorite things: Enjoying a glass of red wine. Friends and family gathered around the table. A knock from a neighbor on the door. Finding the perfect gift. A delicious new recipe. A call or a visit from a friend she hadn't seen for a while. Buying Olivia her prom dress. An unexpected bouquet. Sitting by the fire on a cold night with good company. A kiss goodnight. Having her hair done. The thoughtful delivery of a chai latte. A dear friend coming to town. Cooking her father, Harvey's pomodoro sauce with Zach. Receiving a loving card or kind note. A piece of chocolate cake. A quiet morning. Relaxing in her beautiful backyard admiring the petunias in full bloom that Fred planted for her birthday. Birds nesting on her patio, bunnies nibbling around the herb garden and the robins and squirrels feasting on her choke cherry tree. Most of all she found joy and comfort in the care and company of the people she loved and who loved her so very much.

As Cindy wished, there will be a celebration of life at her home on Wednesday, June 21st for family and friends. All are welcome. Please send a message for more details about the celebration. If you so desire, in lieu of flowers, please donate to your favorite charity, a local food bank, or one of two organizations near and dear to her grandchildren’s hearts, Humane Society (Zach has volunteered at our local Valley Humane Society for over 4 years) or The Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg CO. (a wonderful animal sanctuary in Colorado we found when the kids were little, frequently visit and where Cindy has sponsored a white tiger (Diego) in the children’s name for over a decade now).