EULOGY

Hi everyone. For those who don’t know me, I’m Taylor, Cindy’s granddaughter. Thank you all for being here to celebrate Cindy’s life, or as I know her, Nanny. It’s been difficult putting into a few words everything that Nanny meant to me, but this is my best attempt.

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Nanny was a constant, warm presence in my life for as long as I can remember. From when I was very young, I spent so much time with Nanny and Poppy. Their house was like a second home to me, and Nanny was at the heart of it. She wasn’t just my grandmother; she was one of the most important people in my life, someone who helped raise me, who shaped me, and who was always there when I needed her.

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Nanny always had a way of putting things into perspective, reminding us all what really mattered. She often said, “Everything happens for a reason.” That’s a phrase I still hear in her voice whenever life feels uncertain. She also liked to remind me that “patience is a virtue.” I can’t say I always lived up to that, but she certainly did – for me, and for everyone around her.

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Her Catholic faith was important to her, and it was part of what gave her strength throughout her life. But what mattered most to me was how she lived it. She treated everyone with kindness, no matter who they were. She had this ability to make people feel seen and cared for, and those who needed comfort always seemed to be drawn to her.

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Nanny could connect with anyone so seamlessly. Once, she spent nearly two hours on the phone, and when Poppy asked who she’d been talking to, she said, “I don’t know! It was a wrong number!” Or the time Uncle Shawn broke his leg. He was in the ER, and while Nanny was there with him, she somehow ended up chatting with the Hell’s Angels – who were probably there after a bar fight or some other chaos. That was just who she was. She never met a stranger. She really was the unofficial mayor of Clifton Park.

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She also loved to have fun. If there was music, she was always the first one on the dance floor and the last one to leave. Dancing was her way of celebrating life, and she never missed the chance to enjoy herself and to make sure everyone around her was having a good time, too.

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When I think about Nanny, I think about the everyday moments we shared. If Nanny wasn’t out and about, she was on their back patio during the summer, enjoying the sunshine and the quiet of the day, usually while Poppy, Ryan, and I were swimming in their pool. She could also be found peering out their front window of the house to catch all the happenings around the neighborhood, always curious about what was going on. I loved staying over at their house and enjoying my favorite snack, popcorn, after my shower while we watched TV together. And how she would help me fall asleep, gently telling me my eyes were getting heavy, and that the Sandman was going to come.

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Nanny taught me many things over the years, but those that stand out to me the most are patience, kindness, and empathy. She showed me the importance of treating people well, of laughing often, of finding joy in the little things, and always making time to dance.

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I consider myself incredibly lucky to have been able to call Nanny my grandmother for 27 years. I would give anything to be able to have a conversation with her one more time. Until I’m able to, I hope she knows that I love her and will think of her in everything that I do, for the rest of my life. You will always be in my heart, Nanny.