In Loving Memory of Cynthia Jolly

Cynthia Lynn Jolly, age 63, passed away August 30, 2019 in Colorado Springs, Colorado with her family by her side. She was born November 30, 1955 in Cincinnati, Ohio to David Lowell Plunkett and Elizabeth Ann McElwain. Cynthia grew up in the Cincinnati area, graduating from Princeton High School. She later attended the University of Cincinnati, graduating Summa Cum Laude. Cynthia volunteered at a U.S. Army Hospital as a Nurse in 1987. She raised her children from 1988 – 1994. She spent many years working as a Director of Nursing and a Charge Nurse. Cynthia enjoy making jewelry, crocheting, knitting, cross stitch, sudoku, puzzles, cards, Santa figures, belly dancing (back in the day), attending services at Sunrise Methodist Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado. She enjoyed spending time with her children and family above all things.

Her sister Laurie aka Titi would like to share a funny story, When Cindy and I were teens living in Sharonville, OH we got into a physical altercation (fist fight), which ended up in the backyard somehow.  We had fought before, but this time she had started choking me, therefore breaking the “rules” of family fighting, so I was mad!  I started cursing and screaming and then the sliding glass door opened and there stood Dad.  He yelled “Laurie, stop all that cursing!”.  Cindy and I both stopped fighting and I looked over at him and yelled “I’m getting choked to death, and that is what you’re worried about!”.  I took off running to a friends house.  About an hour later, Cindy showed up and said it was time to go to choir practice (lol).  I obliged and all was good again, thats how sisters roll.  We laughed about this story many times.  I will love and miss you forever, Dear Sister.

Her husband David wanted to share, The afternoon of June 3rd, 1981.  Cindy was incredibly pregnant with Matt.  That night she went across the street to visit her friend and they decided to take a walk.  Sometime later I heard thunder and I stepped outside, and the sky was scary dark with a large thunderstorm approaching.  I was worried about their safety so I started driving around looking for them in my car.  It started raining, and I went back home hoping that they had found shelter.  It was heavy rain, hail, vivid lightning, loud thunder, and wind.  I was extremely concerned.  A short while later the phone rang.  It was Cindy.  I asked her where she was.  She and her girlfriend were at the corner lounge, having a beer while I was fretting over their safety! I couldn’t be mad at her… and the next day she had 15 hours of labor!

From her daughter Sarah, There are about 5 million things I could say about my mother that we shared that are interesting and funny.  However, a lot are inside jokes that no one would understand, or they are inappropriate because she wasn’t just my mom, but she was my best friend.  SO, all I’m going to say is Eraser Head, Punish Me, and Silence of the Lambs.  She (and a few others) will know exactly what that means.

From her son Matt, We were visiting Titi in Hawaii when we were young, and we spent a lot of time at the beach.  Mom had gotten me swimming lessons prior so I had a lot of confidence about swimming.  I kept pushing how far I went, and I ended up going passed the reef by a pretty good margin.  I did this so quickly that Mom did not even realize it until I was too far away.  Mom must have just blinked because of how quickly I had done it.  Next thing I know I’m getting hauled into a boat because Mom had realized just where I was.  I don’t think it set it just how much danger I was in until after the fact.  Mom wasn’t laughing then, but we definitely had laughs after.

From her daughter-in-law Mackenzie, We shared so many secrets and inside jokes that we promised to never share with anyone, but I will always remember our excessive laughs over turkey carcasses, ungodly amounts of sage, rotten smells from the fridge (source unknown), cleaning her foot, bleach, stairs, pretty much anything to do with Bear, pink cowboys hats, and any pun relating to blind Betty.

Cynthia was incredibly intelligent, stunningly beautiful, caring, loved her children intensely, and knew everything about everything (literally).  She would watch Jeopardy and know almost every answer.  She was fashionable and loved makeup.  She loved spending Christmas with her family, and we had “the best Christmas ever” last year.  She did anything and everything for her children.  Her sister Laurie meant the world to her and held a place in her heart no one else could.  She was incredibly caring and would accept anyone into her home and help someone the best that she could. Cynthia will be missed by all who knew her.

She is preceded by her mother Elizabeth Ann McElwain; one brother Scott Martin Plunkett; and one sister Melissa Kay Zammert.

Cynthia is survived by her husband David Lee Jolly; son Matthew David Jolly; daughter Sarah Elizabeth Jolly; her father David Lowell Plunkett; two sisters Laurie Susan Spray and Jennifer Spring Caschetta; three brothers David Robert Plunkett, Michael David Plunkett, Woodrow J Plunkett; and many other family and friends.

The family would like to extend a wholehearted thank you to her caregivers; her husband David, Sarah and Mackenzie – for the last 3 1/2 years of in-home living assistance, her physical therapist Ule who came to the house and gave her motivation, her primary physician Dr. Karen Chang, all of her physicians for showing her so much care, and everyone at Abode Hospice.

Graveside Services will be held at 2:00pm Thursday, September 5, 2019 at Evergreen Cemetery, 1005 Hancock Expressway, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903.

Please place any donations in her name to either the Children’s Fund, www.childrensfund.org or Wounded Warriors, www.woundedwarriorsproject.org.