Cynthia Steiner 1943 - 2024

Cynthia Steiner, 81, died December 28, 2024, surrounded by her children and grandchildren, in McMinnville, Oregon. The daughter of Virginia and Joe L. Brown, she was born March 7, 1943, in Los Angeles, California. Her father’s career in baseball took the family from Zanesville, Ohio, to Waco, Texas, to New Orleans, Louisiana, and eventually to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where Cynthia graduated from Mount Lebanon High School.

Cynthia attended Smith College, fell in love with Florence, Italy, and all things Italian, as she spent a few years under a Tuscan sun. She later worked in promotions for Columbia Pictures in New York and San Francisco, which fueled her love of storytelling through film and books.

Cynthia married Ron Steiner in 1969, and they welcomed children in 1970 and 1972 to their life in Pittsburgh. In 1980, the family moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where Cynthia devoted herself to parenting and the attendance of hundreds of youth sports games. She served as a trustee of Albuquerque Academy for 15 years, including two as chair of the board, where her strategic mind, commitment to inclusion, support of teachers, and irrepressible good humor made her a valuable teammate. Cynthia was a passionate, discerning reader and recommender of books, also serving as a long-time newspaper reader for New Mexico Newsline for The Blind. She loved having enthusiastic conversations about authors, movies, music, sports, and politics.

In 2022, Cynthia moved closer to her McMinnville family and lived at Hillside; everywhere she landed, she was appreciated for her quick wit, curious intellect, and positive spirit.

Cynthia is survived by her daughter, Amy (Silas) Halloran-Steiner; and son, Michael (Beril) Ulku-Steiner; and grandchildren, Ukiah, Metolius, Kenan, and Lucy.

A private family ceremony was held in McMinnville. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Cynthia's name may be made to Roadrunner Food Bank in Albuquerque. (www.rrfb.org).

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