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1939 Cynthia 2021

Cynthia Shoemaker

January 12, 1939 — April 21, 2021

Rev. Cynthia Shoemaker, 1939 - 2021

The Rev. Cynthia E. Shoemaker, a minister in the United Church of Christ, beloved mother and grandmother, dedicated friend and community member, educator, and mentor, passed away peacefully in her room at Courtyard Nursing Care Center in Medford, MA on April 21 st , 2021, surrounded by friends and family.

A native of Chattanooga, Tennessee, Cynthia grew up in the nearby town of Signal Mountain. She attended Girls Preparatory School and City High School in Chattanooga, then went to King College in Bristol, TN. From 1962 – 1979, she was married to W.L. (Bill) Holshouser, Jr. Cynthia lived in the Boston area from 1971 until the end of her life. She was a founding member of Common Place, a housing cooperative in Cambridge, MA.

Cynthia held several posts as an assistant minister, with a focus on Christian education. The longest of these was at First Church in Cambridge (Congregational), where she worked for ten years. Other posts included Second Congregational Church in Winchester, MA; Bethany Congregational Church in Foxboro, MA; and Plymouth Church in Framingham, MA. She also worked for a nonprofit organization, Waging Peace. In each of these places, Cynthia’s work was central to building community; she formed lasting friendships everywhere she went. She ministered to her congregations in daily life, comforting the troubled, visiting the sick and elderly, and officiating at wedding ceremonies, funerals, and baptisms. In all these ways, her calm, spiritual presence touched the lives of a great many people. In her later years, she bravely faced her struggle with Parkinson’s Disease.

She is survived by her daughter Molly Holshouser, son Will Holshouser, granddaughter Anna Holshouser-Belden, and daughter-in-law Kathryn Belden, all of Brooklyn, NY, and two nieces, Lori Shoemaker of Washington, DC and Luci Stone of Hixson, TN. A memorial service will be held on Sunday Sept. 19 th at First Church in Cambridge, MA. Generous even in death, Cynthia donated her body to research through Tufts Medical School; burial will be held at a later date. In place of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made to: Michael J. Fox foundation (Parkinson’s Research) or First Church in Cambridge, UCC.

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