Cynthia "Cindy" Kay Canner, 54, of Hudson, passed away on Saturday, June 11 at the Hospice House House Woodside in Pinellas Park. Cindy was born in Indianapolis, IN.
Cindy passed away at the age of 54 due to a terminal illness that she battled for years. On June 7, 2011 she was moved to Woodside Hospice where friends and family could be by her side 24 hours a day. On Cindy’s last day her family was with her as she passed. It was a special moment for the family to know that friends who had not seen Cindy in over 11 years came to see her along with her church family from Springhill. This is a testament to how much Cindy touched their lives.
After graduation from St. Pete Christian High School, she worked as a pre-school teacher. While working as a teacher’s aide she completed two years of schooling from St. Pete College.
Cindy never married or had children of her own but instead dedicated her life to Jesus Christ and her children that she taught. Cindy worked for St. Pete Christian School, Pinehurst pre-school, and Sunshine Giggles..
No matter where Cindy was or what she did, she touched people’s lives in a very special way. Driving school busses to the Smoky Mountains, Six Flags over Georgia or picking up children that otherwise could not have come to church; Cindy was always willing to give of her time.
Cindy was a giver. One of her greatest joys was to make homemade items and give them to her friends. One thing people would say about Cindy was that no matter what was going on in her life, she never complained. She loved her home, her church and her friends.
In the early years Cindy attended First Assembly of God in Clearwater. She then joined a Bible Fellowship Group in St. Petersburg and finished up her last years at The Bridge of Hope Tabernacle.
Cindy was a free spirit. She had a passion for Harley Davidson Motorcycles, McDonald’s un-sweet tea
(with 4 Splendas), fried fish, hamburgers and candy.
In 2000 Cindy moved to Hudson, where she lived in the mobile home of her good friends Mark and Cheryl. Cindy loved her home as it was located on the acreage next to their home. Cheryl was like a sister to Cindy and helped take care of her in the final years.
Cindy will be greatly missed by her mother and father Mary Jo and Truman D Canner, her older brother Richard (Beth) Canner, her younger sister Stephanie Leverenz, her younger brother Christopher (Lori) Canner. She leaves her loving nephews and nieces, Ricky Canner, Racquel & Bill Strong, Hunter Leverenz, Nathan Canner, Nick Canner & Brandon Canner. Cindy has 3 great nieces, Breanna Freidhoff, Noel Strong, and Madison Canner.
She is preceded in death by her Grandma & Grandpa Graves, Grandpa & Grandma Canner, her uncle Junior Canner and aunts Goldie Stivers and Sandy Armentrout.
A celebration of Life service will be held at First Assembly of God in Clearwater (1739 South Martin Luther King (Greenwood Ave) Clearwater, Florida at 1:00 PM on Saturday June 18, 2011.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you. May god give you comfort and peace as the days go by.
We are praying that God lifts the sorrow from your hearts. It is so sad to lose a child at such a young age. Though we didn’t really get the chance to know Cindy she no doubt was an angel on earth from what we have learned. God Bless and comfort you. Love, Cousins Jim and Faye
You are all in our thoughts and prayers as you go through this difficult time. Just know that Cindy is in a better place and totally at peace. Her faith in God sent her straight to his open arms. We love you all. The Melecci’s
Aunt MaryJo & Uncle Truman,
I am very sorry to hear about Cindy. She is in the kingdom of Heaven and singing with the Angels. I never met her but what a life full of love and leadership she had. My deepest condolences.
My daughter and I had the extreme pleasure of knowing Cindy from 1997 til about 2002. Cindy was a teacher at the daycare my daughter attended and also babysat her on weekends. She was such a wonderful role model to my daughter in her early years. Cindy, you truly were a WONDERFUL lady and you are now at peace with our Heavenly Father to watch over you. Our love and prayers to Cindys family at this time.
I would like to say how sorry I am for the loss of Cindy and that I love you Aunt Mary and Uncle Red. I am greatful that I was able to talk to her, and hear her voice, and let her know how much I loved her, and what she meet to me before she passed away. Cindy never once complained. I will miss her smile and her wonderful personality she was very special to me. Cindy always had a special place in my moms heart (Sandra Kay Armentrout) I know they are together walking the street’s of gold. Cindy was always very good to me. I will always have those wonderful memories of Cindy. “I will miss you Cindy”. Love you Shannon
Cindy’s smile the twinkle in her eyes, her witty personality and cheerful outlook are just a few of the things I will always remember about Cindy. We went for ice cream one of the last times I visited, we shared some wonderful memories and had a lot of laughs. Cindy will be missed by all of us but you know she is with our Father in Heaven. As one of Gods angels Cindy is experiencing a perfect love, peace and tranquility we on earth can only imagine. I hope you find comfort in knowing this. Our thoughts,prayers and sympathy are with you. We Love You. Nathan and Sherree
I met Cindy in the late ’70’s when I moved to Clearwater and attended First Assembly. We played softball together, went to youth group together. Often when we went on trips, she drove the bus, which amazed me, as she was still a teenager. I left in 1982 and lost touch. So sad to read her obiturary,but what a tribute to a special lady!!
I went to First Assembly in Clearwater with Cindy back in the late 70’s. We played ball together & I shared an apartment with her & Norma Jean for awhile when I had no where else to go. She was always full of life & laughed easily. I know she will be missed.
I feel very privileged to have been there when Cindy passed. It was something special to feel the love that we all had for her in the room. The love we all have as a family towards each other was amazing in that block of time where we all reached out to comfort each other in our own ways. I know Cindy always loved when the extended family could get together, even insisting that people bring her when she was feeling so ill. She just loved to sit and observe the couples and the children interacting. I remember lots of moments when I caught her laughing or smiling at something one of my girls had just done or said….I know we will all feel her absence at these gatherings and she will be missed.
I grew up with Cindy at First Assembly of God. When I think of her, I recall her laugh and cheerful personality. I am so very sorry to hear of her passing. Her family will be in my prayers.
May the God of all grace, comfort, and peace be present in all your lives in the days ahead. Know that Cindy’s life was but a glimmer of the glory she now knows in the presence of Her Savior, Jesus Christ. Her smile in the photo is the same smile I knew 35 years ago. God grant you all peace.
Uncle Truman & Aunt MaryJo Our love is with you at this time. Cindy was a wonderful person and loved by many.God has taken her in his arms to be with loved ones whom have passed before her.She will not be alone.She will still have family in her new home.May God be your light in this time of sorrow.Our prayers are with you always.
Such a sweet person. Remember her from the preschool and when she drove our bus. A beautiful laugh and smile! My deepest sympathy.
I remember Cindy as a little girl and then as a young woman. She always wanted me to see her pretty dresses! I know this is so hard for you Mary Jo (Liz) and Red (Rhett, I have been through this and it is so hard to lose a child, no matter their age. You are such good friends to me and my prayers are with you. I love you both so much!! Your friend, Ruby
Cindy was one of the first people Blair met when he started coming to First Assembly of God, over 30 years ago. We were friends as teenagers. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Words can never express what a loss we have experienced of an extraordinary person.
I am the youngest of my family and Cindy was my “first” big sister, but she was also a friend to me. I was young when Cindy moved out of the house. The things that stood out most that I can remember when she was high school and I was about 6 or 7 years old then and I would drive with mom to pick up Cindy from school is she always had a little trinket for me (a little army man, matchbox car, a little ball or even a little silly game). At the time I was a normal young child and I never thought about it, but now I wonder when and how she would find the time to get those little things for me, especially with her being in high school. That is just one of many things that showed what a huge heart she had and how caring and giving she was. I remember she was on an all girls football team and I would go watch her play and would sing the song “When The Saints Go Marching In” I remember that Cindy always had alot of friends and everyone loved her. After she moved out of the house I can still remember always doing little nice things for me. I remember the day I arrived at the Hospice House Woodside and even though she was medicated when I spoke to her she half-way opened her eyes and grinned and squeezed my hand. Knowing that she knew I was there (living out of state) made my heart smile. Cindy always had a smile on her face no matter what and knowing how much pain she went through the past few years I just wanted her to have NO PAIN why she was there before her passing. I was right by her side holding her hand when she took her last breath, but as hard as that was for me I was so content that her death was peaceful and without pain. She suffered too long. I knew that she was with our Heavenly Father and our brother Jesus Christ and at that moment I was so thankful and blessed that she was my sister and thankful for all the time God blessed our family to have her a part of it. Cindy was the one of the greatest people I know and I love her so much. I am thankful for her love of Christ and the example she not only showed our family but all of her friends as well. Cindy is very special and I miss her very much. I pray for peace and comfort for all of my family while dealing with this loss. Your little brother knows that you are an angel watching over our family and that your work here was done so you can continue to do work in Heaven. I love you.
When I am sad and wish I could talk to and see Cindy one more time I am inspired by this:
I look up to heaven
and began to weep wondering and asking why my sister was taken too soon.
Then, I hear a small still voice whispering (feeling in my heart it is Cindy) asking me why I am weeping?”
I answer,“You are so far away
I will never be able to hug you, laugh with you and see you while I am here on earth.”
And then the small voice answered,”if I were not already in your heart,
you would not be able
to hear me.” and I will watch over you and when you feel the wind blow upon your face know it is me giving my little brother a hug and the hope and faith to carry on God’s work he has planned for you.
That is all the Peace and Comfort a brother could ever ask for.
Love Chris
Aunt Cindy was very genuine. You could feel how loving she was and that she truly loved her family. Even though she has been ill for a few years she always cared and wondered what what going on in my life and the last time I spoke with her she told me how proud she was of my accomplishments. Aunt Cindy always put everyone before herself and she lived a Christian life with a strong love for Heavenly Father and Christ. I love her and she will be missed greatly. I know when she met God and Jesus at the pearly gates, along with other family who have passed on I know she was elated and does not have to live with any more pain. I love you Aunt Cindy
Love Nathan
Aunt Cindy was a very unique and special person. She was always nice and caring and always worried or concerned about her family never herself. I feel like her and I had something in common that we were funny and made people laugh. The last time I spoke with her she said she was proud of me and that she always asked about how we (me, Nathan and Nick) were doing. I would ask how she was feeling and she always told me she was good, but the sweet person she was would never complain. I love her very much and she will be greatly missed
Love Nick
Aunt Cindy was very special. When dad flew down to Florida and told us Aunt Cindy was very sick I prayed to God that he would heal her. Then when mom told me that Aunt Cindy died I started crying and told her that my prayers did not work. My mom explained to me that it had nothing to do with his prayers not being answered. She explained that when we come to earth from Heaven we have works to do and only God knows what they are. She told me that Aunt Cindy did her work for God and then God took her home. She told me that everyone has to die and that when it is time for God to take you home he will. Aunt Cindy was never mad and was always happy with a smile. I could always feel God’s love when I was around her. I love her very much and I know God is taking care of her now.
Love Brandon
The first time I met Cindy was was her birthday before me and Chris were married. She came down from Hudson and stayed the night at her parents. I remember she jokingly told me that she had to approve of who her little brother was going to marry. I remember how fun and full of life she was-always smiling. I remember the night before her birthday Chris and I went out to get her a birthday gift-she loved gorrillas among other things so I found this huge gorilla bear and I got that along with a beach chair and umbrella because she also loved the beach. The morning of her birthday I woke early and set up the den like a beach with beach towls, beach chair with the gorilla sitting in it and the umbrella and made breakfast for her. We wte breakfast in our little “fake” beach and I remember her saying I could have picked anyone beter for my little brother to marry. It really touched my heart. I was always laughing and cutting up with Cindy-loved her to pieces. When I think of the word Christian-that was Cindy. She loved anyone and was always doing something for everyone. She would give a stranger the last bit of money she had if they needed it without hesitation. Wordly wise she may not have been rich, but spiritually she was the wealthiest person you would ever meet. She never spoke ill of anyone and never complained about anything. She was just always filled with love and compassion not only to her family, her friends, strangers and to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. You could not meet a more rightous person. Those we love are always with us.
Their laughter and their wisdom, their advice and thoughtfulness are gifts of love that are ours to keep.
The gifts of our sister
will help console all of us now and fill our hearts with memories that will always comfort us. Comfort us through sorrow,courage for each day,Strength to face this journey,Her Words will help to light our way, Her peace will help fill our hearts, and although we may not understand why she was taken too soon,but her love will continue to hold us gently in the hollow of her hand. I believe Cindy has wings and is always with us and will continue to help us and guide us through our journies and struggles and happy times throughout our lives. I love you Cindy and you will be greatly missed.
With all my love Lori