Cindy was born March 21st, 1958 to James Eugene Earhart Sr., and Verna Alma Earhart in Mansfield, Ohio. Born into a close farming family, Cindy was blessed to be raised with the best cousins, aunts and uncles anyone could ask for. Ten years later via adoption, her family added her brother, James Eugene Earhart Jr. As most farmers do, her dad worked multiple jobs allowing a spark to fly for a young girl to meet her future husband years before they fell in love. A local young man by the name of Doug Spiger, rode to work at Gorman Rupp Pumps with her father each summer while home from college. Cindy fell in love with Doug’s 1969 Limited Edition Camaro Z28 that he parked while carpooling with her dad. In recent years we learned that the love of his Camaro resulted in her sitting in it while they were gone. She would also talk about seeing him when they were younger at church on Sunday. Fast forward to 1976 when she snatched that Camero driver, Doug to be her husband. Their relationship blossomed after a chance meeting at the local bank in Shiloh. Cindy worked at the bank and asked him out while giving him his income tax refund. At that date, over a steak dinner, sparks flew and the greatest love story began. Quickly after many Pizza Hut dates, Cindy and Doug planned to marry after she graduated and Doug would continue his aviation career. On September 18, 1976, after summer graduation, they married at Mt. Hope Lutheran Church in Shiloh, Ohio. Almost the entire town attended and lined the outside of the church to wish them well. From that point on, Cindy began the love of her pilot husband and shared his extreme love of aviation. One could say Cindy was born to be a pilot’s wife.
On November 20, 1978, Doug and Cindy welcomed their daughter Abby Lynn. At this point, Cindy embarked on her favorite role as a homemaker and MOM. Many of Abby’s friends say Cindy was a hug, a smile, a warm cookie, fantastic cook, but most of all an extra mom to many. While running the family, Cindy’s pilot would whisk her away on grand adventures or have her join him on countless trips worldwide. She often marveled at the blessings of the life they built and extraordinary opportunities afforded them. In March of 2001, Cindy and Doug welcomed Abby’s husband Jeremie Hall to the family and made him their own. In 2003 Cindy helped welcome her first granddaughter Emmalou Cathryn. Cindy immediately embraced the roll of being “MOMMOM” and was the proudest MOMMOM you have ever seen. In 2006 her second granddaughter Evelynn Rose was born. Being Emma and Evee’s MOMMOM was her greatest life accomplishment. The attachment and unconditional love she had for the girls and their love of her is something most could only wish for in a relationship. She worked tirelessly to be at ALL of their events supporting them, making memories and loving on them daily.
Not only was Cindy blessed in her family life, she was fortunate in her career as well. For the last 21 years, Cindy has worked hand in hand with her beloved daughter Abby, and recently added her granddaughter Emmalou, as a licensed realtor. With her kind soul and loving heart, she served many people over the years sell and purchase the perfect house to create a home. Her sweet family will proudly carry on her legacy in the realty field.
In the fall of 2016 Cindy was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer. It was extremely small and removed easily. She was treated with a quick hit by SAVI cath radiation to cure the issue. Unfortunately, in the spring, Cindy and Doug heard from her oncologist that her whole-body scan showed the cancer was also in her liver and it had been having a huge party. She had 22 spots in the liver with the largest being the size of a lemon. This quickly moved her to the Stage 4 category. If she did nothing, she had 6 months to live, but if she decided to fight, she had a chance. Cindy signed the papers and started the fight that very day. Her therapy included IBrance pills and experimental radioactive stick pin sized pellets to be inserted in the upper and lower liver. She powered through and willed her way to putting it “to bed” for the next 5 years. Cindy’s cancer was rare because it traveled to the liver via the blood stream and not the lymph nodes. Unfortunately, in the fall of 2021, the cancer mutated. She decided to switch Oncologists in order to fight harder and more aggressively to slow the growth. Over the last 3 years Cindy participated in clinical trials resulting in horrible side effects, thick liquid injections, multiple pills and finally hard chemo. During that time, she never once complained and was thankful for everyday she was able to achieve. In the end Cindy’s kidneys could not withstand the abuse of the life extending medications. Cindy died on her own terms, at home with her loving family surrounding her, not in pain and never allowing the cancer to spread.
Cindy kept this part of her life extremely private. It was important to her that nobody treated her differently or showed pity to her as she felt most had it worse than her. While battling cancer she chose faith and hope as her guide but most importantly, she chose to live and she and her family did just that. She maximized lifetime memories with her family and shifted our priority to focusing on her circle and living each day to the fullest. In the last few years, Doug began flying again and gave them a chance to travel, making memories together, renewing her great love of aviation all while enjoying the adventures together. Between visiting the beach as a family, countless vacations, a few aviation trips, and meeting Doug while he was flying, she never stopped or took for granted the opportunity to soak up life with her love.
Cindy is preceded in death by her father James Eugene Earhart, Sr (July 22, 1995)
Cindy is survived by her husband of 48 years Doug Spiger, her daughter Abby Lynn Hall, son in law Jeremie Lee Hall, granddaughter Emmalou Cathryn Hall (Colby Neidhart), Evelynn Rose Hall, mother Verna Alma Earhart and brother James Eugene Earhart, Jr his wife Melanie and nephews Alex and Cameron Earhart.
With her permission to share the cancer story it is important to her that illness is not what she is remembered for. Cindy and her family want her to be remembered for living, loving and the strong faith in the Lord she shared with her family. Cindy had a life well lived and loved every second of it. She will be deeply missed. Cindy died June 22, 2024.
“When once you have flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for you have been, and there you will always long to return.” -DaVinci
In Lieu of flowers the family would respectfully request a donation to be mailed to:
Mt. Hope Lutheran Church
Memo: Stain Glass Window Fund
Attn: Sara Kranz
29 West Main Street
Shiloh, Ohio 44878
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