Cynthia R. Wilkie

Cornish, N.H. – Cynthia R. Wilkie, 75, died peacefully at home on Sunday January 24, 2010 surrounded by loving family and friends after a courageous and hard fought battle against cancer. Wife of Arnold for 49 ½ years and loving mother to Stuart and Steven, Cynthia will be forever missed by all who knew her. Born in Hanover, NH on May 17, 1934, Cynthia grew up in Hanover and Lyme, graduating from Hanover High School in 1952. Cynthia was an IFYE (International Farm Youth Exchange) Student in Ireland for five months in 1955 after which she spent the next year on a speaking tour comprised of over 180 talks. She then graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 1957, and in 1980 received her Master Degree in Elementary Education from Plymouth State College. Employed by SAU #88 for 37 years, Cynthia taught fifth and sixth grades, most of the years at Seminary Hill Elementary School in West Lebanon. An enthusiastic, well respected, and much beloved teacher, Cynthia never stopped learning or sharing knowledge. Among her many continuing education experiences, in 1991 she attended the U.S. Space Academy in Huntsville, AL and in 1995 received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching for the State of New Hampshire. Cynthia was also an avid gardener who shared her plants and expert horticultural knowledge with myriad friends and family members. Besides her husband Arnold, Cynthia is survived by her sons, Stuart (Guilford, CT) and Steven (Cornish, NH), her three grandsons, Devin, Brent, and Trevor Wilkie (all of Cornish), her sister Donna (Donald) Fisk of Lyme, NH., and many nieces and nephews, along with countless dear friends. Cynthia was pre-deceased by her parents, Donald and Ada Olsen Record, her beloved sister, Edith, and her brother Walter. A Memorial Celebration of Cynthia's life will be held on Saturday January 30, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. at the Meriden Congregational Church, 8 Mitchell Drive, Meriden, New Hampshire. Cynthia requested that flowers be given to her while she could enjoy them and not at her service, so we are requesting that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Meriden Congregational Church where a Scholarship Fund will be established in her name. To read more about Cynthia and to leave well wishes for the family, please visit www.CaringBridge.org and enter "cynthiawilkie" under the website name.