Obituary for Cindy Ann Rivnyak (Smith)
Cindy Rivnyak passed away peacefully and unexpectedly at home on Monday, February 3, 2020. Cindy was born in Decatur, IL on December 13, 1956 to Carolyn Jean Nicholson and the late Elmer Dean Smith. She graduated from Mattoon High School in 1975. Cindy grew up loving the outdoors, riding motorcycles and playing sports – excelling in basketball, tennis, and track and field. She made a mean bacon and egg breakfast, was an avid morel mushroom hunter, and the best crappie fillet-er on lake Mattoon.
She attended Lake Land College in Mattoon, IL and then joined the U.S. Army in September of 1978 where she was a pharmacy and medical specialist. It was there she met her late husband, Raymond John Rivnyak, Jr. They were married for over 30 years before he also passed unexpectedly.
Cindy was an amazing mom of 4 children that she dedicated her life to raising. She is survived by Jennifer Cangelosi and her husband Austin and their granddaughters Chloe (10) and Lyla (8) of Charleston, SC; Kristin Wilson and her husband Noah and their son Sawyer (2) of Boston, MA; Lyndsay LeComte and her husband David of Houston, TX but currently living abroad; and Jonathan Rivnyak of Boston, MA. Cindy is also survived by her sister Sandy Christofanelli and her husband Joe, as well as nephew and niece Joey and Leah Christofanelli. Cindy was defined by her love for life and was everybody’s favorite mom and friend.
Cindy filled every room she stepped into with laughter and happiness. Please join us in a celebration of her life as we say our final goodbye’s as Cindy joins Ray in heaven. Visitation will be Monday February 10, 2020 from 10am-12pm with a short service with military honors immediately following at noon at Ralph Hull Funeral Home, 161 W. Church St., Seymour, CT 06483. Interment will be at the convenience of the family.
She attended Lake Land College in Mattoon, IL and then joined the U.S. Army in September of 1978 where she was a pharmacy and medical specialist. It was there she met her late husband, Raymond John Rivnyak, Jr. They were married for over 30 years before he also passed unexpectedly.
Cindy was an amazing mom of 4 children that she dedicated her life to raising. She is survived by Jennifer Cangelosi and her husband Austin and their granddaughters Chloe (10) and Lyla (8) of Charleston, SC; Kristin Wilson and her husband Noah and their son Sawyer (2) of Boston, MA; Lyndsay LeComte and her husband David of Houston, TX but currently living abroad; and Jonathan Rivnyak of Boston, MA. Cindy is also survived by her sister Sandy Christofanelli and her husband Joe, as well as nephew and niece Joey and Leah Christofanelli. Cindy was defined by her love for life and was everybody’s favorite mom and friend.
Cindy filled every room she stepped into with laughter and happiness. Please join us in a celebration of her life as we say our final goodbye’s as Cindy joins Ray in heaven. Visitation will be Monday February 10, 2020 from 10am-12pm with a short service with military honors immediately following at noon at Ralph Hull Funeral Home, 161 W. Church St., Seymour, CT 06483. Interment will be at the convenience of the family.