Recently for some reason, I had a moment of nostalgia and thought about Miss Pryor. I checked my Facebook and unfortunately I learned the news of her passing.

As I watched the recorded video of her funeral mass, I found something funny her niece said in her eulogy. Her niece referred to my teacher as ‘Saint Cindy’ which I was laughing crazy because my classmates and I had the same idea as well! But she was always saint-like and I like to think she is among the saints for an eternal amount of time.

With her lessons, I try to follow and recall. But I do believe that acting on her words will honor her memory especially when this results in betterment for ourselves and others. 

I had the privilege of spending 7th/8th grade with Miss Pryor. RIP🕊️💛

- A former student, Class of 2009.

I have many wonderful memories of  my time  teaching at St. Thecla.  Cindy was always an inspiration and joy to be around.  Both of my sons, Michael and Mark, benefited from her wise words and loving care.  Cindy can never be replaced and will always be remembered by her legacy of all the lives that she touched and enriched.  I am so sorry that I live too far away to be able to attend her funeral Mass , but was fortunate enough to be able to view it on YouTube.  Fr. Brian Meldrum’s words were touching and heartfelt.  A beautiful tribute to  a beautiful  and loved friend, teacher and mentor to countless many.
                                                Denise Gleason

The video is from Miss Pryor's classroom of the 1st Place trophies for the Forensic Competitions St. Thecla won with Miss Pryor as moderator.  Needless to say, this would rival any trophy showcase for any junior high or high school in Michigan or the country.   Miss Pryor not only prepared her students for competition, she prepared them to lead good Christian lives.  Through her love, dedication and example the children and families of St. Thecla school and parish were Blessed by God's gift of Miss Pryor to us. 

Lord God, you are attentive to the voice of our pleading.
Let us find in your Son comfort in our sadness,
certainty in our doubt,
and courage to live through this hour.
Make our faith strong through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Eternal rest grant unto Cynthia, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her.
Amen.

Cindy and I really enjoyed working the Forensics programs for the Eastside Catholic Schools……she was truly an inspiration to everyone she met and was loved by all of us.  We will be forever grateful for all she had contributed to Forensics and her teams.  We competed for many years together and I was not surprised she had continued on teaching many students to stand tall and give it their all.  An amazing inspiration to all the lives she touched.  She will be missed for all the things that made her Cindy.  Rest in peace my beautiful girl🧡🧡🧡

Every time I see this photo, I smile. We asked Miss Pryor to dab with us, because it was the popular thing at the time.  Always brings a smile to my face! 
Miss Pryor is the main reason I am in school to become a teacher. We often get asked, “why this profession?” My response is always, “well, let me tell you about Miss Pryor…” I always imagined Miss Pryor teaching at St. Thecla forever. St. Thecla is a better place because of her. I will never forget all that she taught me, and I will never forget all the memories I have of her. What I would give to spend one more day in her class. It truly was comforting sitting in her classroom. It was your own personal escape from the world when you sat in her classroom and read all the posters or looked at all her pictures. I hope that one day, my classroom is as comforting and welcoming to my students as Miss Pryors was to me. 
Stay Gold.

It is with great sadness that I write this . The world is so much less because you are no longer in it Miss Pryor. You leave such an amazing legacy . The St Thecla family: children , parents and staff alike are all mourning your loss. Thank you, Thank you, thank you for giving so much to so many. Thank you for being a beautiful example to all of us. We will cherish the memories; we will remember the wisdom; and we will keep the faith. Please continue to pray for us in Heaven as you did on earth. We truly do love you! God Bless you and Keep you Miss Pryor!  Debbie DeSantis and the DeSantis family.

Words cannot express the gratitude I have for Ms Pryor. What a wonderful woman. So devout, so compassionate, so empathetic. Just a good soul. She was one of those rare selfless, giving people. She was always looking for ways to make a difference. I hope she knows that she did make a difference and that that knowledge brought her comfort.  She meant so much to so many people.  

I was so fortunate to have Ms Pryor as my teacher and forensics coach. She cared about her students deeply. She tried her best to guide us to be the best versions of ourselves while going through the transition from adolescence to early adulthood. I will never forget the dinners and cards. We were all so lucky to have someone so dedicated to making sure we would grow to be people with integrity and kindness. She was held us to high expectations and we were better for it! Thank you, Ms Pryor. Thank you for loving your students and for trying to make the world a better place. Stay Gold. 
With love and gratitude,
Julie Badowski Muthig (class of 2000)

Our family was truly blessed by Ms Pryor: Jennifer (Urban) Kirsch - Class of 84;  
Rick Kirsch - 85; and all of our children
    Denise - 2003
    Joshua - 2009
    Emma - 2011
No matter the year, we all share the same lessons filled with academic and personal enrichment. Thank you, Ms. Pryor, for all the good that you brought to our lives and to so many countless others. You will be missed, but your legacy remains in all whose lives you touched.

One of my sons in second grade needed a tutor in math.  Mrs. Gleason found Miss. Pryor to volunteer.  So, before school started, I would bring him for tutoring.  Math was not her subject at all, but she was the willing to help out any student in need.  When I was the manager of the Friday lunch special, Pryor again pay for a lunch for a student in financial need.  She was always chipping in.  She was as much for the underdog student as well as her forensic star students. That was the kind of person she was.  May her soul rest in peace with the Lord.

I am at a loss of words. Cindy and I have been best of friends for 45 years and a friendship I will forever cherish. My children loved her deeply and will forever miss their Aunt Cindy. Cindy was the most genuine, compassionate, loving, and faithful person. A true saint on Earth, now watching over and protecting us all from Heaven. 

Her faith in God was always strong and never questioned anything happening to her. Cindy’s dedication as an educator and passion for volunteering touched countless lives and left a lifelong legacy. 

Our friendship began in college that continued for all these years. Cindy, thank you for being a best friend, sister, one of my bridesmaids, an Aunt to my son and daughter, and most importantly for being you. 

No one wrote a card filled with so much love and faith like she did. May she rest in peace and my love and prayers with the entire Pryor family and everyone that crossed her path. The world is a better place because of Cindy. I will forever treasure and cherish all our memories and pictures together. 

With deepest condolences, 

Sherry Fakhoury and family

A true Angel on Earth gained her wings in Heaven. 🪽
🕯Eternal Rest Grant unto Cindy Pryor, Oh Lord. And Let Perpetual Light Shine Upon Her.🕯May she rest in peace.

Ms Pryor has always been my favorite teacher! Her passion for Christ as well as English & Literature ignited His Light me!
She is the one who taught me to write and highlight in the books I read.  She taught us life lessons thru classic literature, and was always able to find the Spiritual connection between the means.
Ms. Pryor was a forward thinker. She had a fantastic sense of humor. Always complimented you... (you look so good!) Ms Pryor always looked good! Clicking thru the halls of St Thecla with her high heels! That's a memory! 
She never took anything for granted. Ms Pryor knew her blessings and talents were from God. Humble. Smart. Kind. Generous. Heart of Gold.

Her motto was STAY GOLD, from the Outsiders, a line in reference to Robert Frost.
💛💛💛

Her legacy will live on forever in her students and the lives she touched with her selfless heart! 💕

Fly with the Angels, Ms Pryor!

I had the honor of teaching at St. Thecla with Cindy. I loved watching her walk down the hall with her class. 8th graders can be a real challenge - but not for Cindy.  She was the most kind and gentle teacher. She never had to say a word. Her eyes when she looked at them said it all & her class wanted to make her proud of them. I used to think, "Only Cindy!"
My 5 children were blessed with having Ms. Pryor as their teacher.  She was an amazing English teacher,  My daughter Stephanie was in high school and her English teacher asked to see her notes from 8th grade. She could not believe how well schooled she was in English.
I think the most important thing they learned from Ms. Pryor, was the importance of their faith. She taught it not only in her lessons, but also in her actions.
I had tears in my eyes when I read, "STAY GOLD."  I can't count the number of times I heard that line repeated and how it has a special place in our hearts.
I know that Cindy was welcomed home with open arms. I never met anyone who was so deserving of a special place in heaven. She will live in our hearts forever.
Ida Tedesco

On behalf of the Capuchin brothers I offer my deepest sympathies on the passing of Cynthia. It is truly humbling to receive memorial donations in honor of her life. Please be assured of the brother's prayers for the entire Pryor family during this great time of grief. May perpetual light shine upon Cynthia.

My four children were so deeply blessed to have been taught by Ms. Pryor. Not only did she teach them English but she taught them about Jesus and she lived Jesus every day in their lives. They are better people today because of all the hours they spent with her in the classroom, practicing for forensics and the yearly school play. One of my favorite memories of Cindy Pryor is when she would have a gym full of kids practicing for the play and you could hear every word of the kid on stage because anyone not on stage would be lying on the floor of the gym silently doing their homework patiently waiting their turn on stage because Ms. Pryor had a gift which made her students understand how to cooperate, behave and live Jesus in her presence. We are eternally grateful for her presence in our lives! The John and Debra Schmid family. Rebecca, Aaron, Monica and Michael.

My prayers and love go out to Miss Pryor’s family and friends. Although I graduated from St. Thecla a year after Miss Pryor started there and never was a student of hers she did tutor me in 9th grade Algebra when I was attending Cardinal Mooney. She was always kind and helped make sense of a tough subject for me. Thank you Miss Pryor! Heaven gained an angel..

Ms Pryor was an amazing teacher, inspiration, mentor and friend to so many people and dedicated her life to St. Thecla. She considered all her students, from recent years, to years past, as her children and instilled love, respect, faith and so much more in her students that she taught.  She had a deep devotion to Blessed Mother and shared that faith with all that knew her.  She fought a courageous battle and her faith never faltered. There is a huge void that so many people are feeling on the loss of Ms Pryor, but those who had the pleasure of knowing her can find comfort in the fact that now we all have a guardian angel who will watch over us forever.  Rest in peace Ms Pryor!   STAY GOLD!!
Joyce Karwowicz

Our thoughts and prayers for the family of Ms. Pryor.  She taught my three sons 35 years ago. She was the best. She came up in many conversations throught the years. She will be greatly missed.  The Smerek Family

Miss Pryor was a true Disciple of Jesus. Her love of our Blessed Mother brought many to the love of Jesus and God.  She knew the tremendous good that resided in each student and helped them see their great potential. Alway positive, always seeing Christ, and encouraging others to be their best as God made them.  May her family be consoled and may Miss Pryor rest in the peace and happiness of our merciful Lord.

OBITUARY

Cynthia Marie Pryor

August 17, 1959 – November 22, 2023

Kaul Funeral Home

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