Cynthia Dickerson Conklin, 67, of Williams Rd, died peacefully at home in Sharon on August 20, 2017. She was born in Chestnut Hill, PA, the daughter of Bill and Isabel Conklin.
Born on March 4, 1950, and “march forth”, she did. She was raised in Flourtown, PA and New Canaan, CT before attending Dana Hall School, Wellesley, MA, Sweet Briar College, near Lynchburg, VA and the University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, where she was awarded her Master of Science Nursing degree.
In her nursing career, Cynthia specialized in maternity care, working at the White Plains Hospital, where she became a senior nurse in the maternity unit. She practiced there for many years and lived in nearby Harrison, NY.
Cynthia moved to Sharon in 1989 to help care for her aging parents. While living there with them, she also assisted three of her aging aunts who lived elsewhere. She continued her nursing on a part-time basis at the Sharon Hospital. She quickly became part of the community and volunteered her time and talent on many committees. Her willingness to work and serve made her much sought after for committee work. She was a board member of the Sharon Historical Society, a member and board member of the Sharon Woman’s Club, and was currently serving on the Sharon Housing Authority.
Following the deaths of her parents, Cynthia bought a new, lightly-landscaped house in Sharon overlooking wetlands teaming with flowers and fauna and a working dairy farm across the road. In the ensuing years, Cynthia created flower gardens, a woodland landscape, a vegetable garden, and a stone wall and walkway along the front of her house. It was an evolving process she enjoyed. For several years she turned her home into a popular bed and breakfast, Bel Meadow, with many repeat visitors. She loved to entertain and her home became a gathering place and cozy refuge.
Cynthia was an incredible cook, having studied at the Culinary Institute of America in New York City. She was generous to a fault with her cooking skills, and she made sure no one who came through her door ever left hungry. She baked untold loaves of banana bread and dozens upon dozens of cookies to give away. She was often called upon to provide food for events and could whip out canapés by the truckload. She had just the right touch when it came to food, whether it was the perfect meatloaf or elegant dessert.
She professed to hate cats but was a doting mother to the rescues that came to her door. There was no kindness that was too small for her and everyone who knew her had a story to tell of her thoughtfulness, whether it was showing up to lend a helping hand, or bringing food to someone in grief, or writing a note of support, or a phone call of encouragement. She had an especially warm spot for the elderly, who she said were the forgotten, and she would visit and help her aging friends in any way she could, even with her own physical limitations. She was a true nurturer of both body and soul. Her latest passion was finding local options for aging in place by creating a “co-housing” plan for Sharon. Cynthia was also a passionate researcher of Lyme disease. She studied endlessly, realizing you had to be your own advocate as it is so misunderstood by the medical community.
Cynthia doted on her grand-nieces and nephews and the children of her friends. She bought gifts all year long to have just the right one for each. She created elaborate treasure hunts for her grands in Maine with rhyming clues and gift-wrapped surprises at each destination. Gingerbread house building became an annual holiday tradition for her involving friends and family at different venues and an unbelievable trove of candies for decorating.
The week before her death, Cynthia planned and executed a long anticipated New England one-week family reunion for her niece’s 25th anniversary celebration. She treated Bethany and her husband Harry Bennett to dinner at Dan Barber’s Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills, NY, which was at the top of her bucket list. The three of them visited cousins Todd and Kelly, and aunts and uncles in Maine before calling the adventure a complete success at the end of the week. She died unexpectedly, but happy, the following day.
Cynthia is survived by her brothers Bill and Hank Conklin, two nephews, three nieces, and seven grand nephews and nieces. She was a loving sister and aunt to all, and a friend to everyone who was blessed to know her. A celebration of her life will be held on October 2nd at the Wake Robin Inn, time to be announced. In lieu of flowers, please remember her with a contribution to the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation, the charity she requested to support.
