Cynthia Lawrence

On Sunday, October 25, 2020, Cynthia Lawrence passed away at the age of 83 surrounded by loved ones at her home in Germantown, WI. Cynthia was born on October 9, 1937 in New York City to Hartwell and Jean Speerin. She graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 1958 where she met her future husband Mack. They were wed in El Paso, TX on January 10, 1959. They raised two children, Kimberly and Jay. Cynthia was an intelligent and independent woman with a competitive spirit. She graduated from high school 2 years early and went on to complete a Bachelor's degree in Biology. Her life-long love of nature and animals was demonstrated through her dogs, ponies, birding, and gardening. She spoke about being excited to see horses pass by her home as a young child. When she was older, her father took her to see a horse show at Madison Square Garden where she was fascinated by the women driving Hackney ponies. Those experiences grew into a hobby of riding, driving, and breeding horses. For many years, Cynthia successfully competed in a range of equine driving shows that included cross country obstacles as well as carriage turnout. She won a championship in her final carriage driving event at the age of 72. Cynthia was also an excellent gourmet cook and an avid reader of many subjects, especially history. She pursued all her interests with passion and attention to detail. Those who knew her will miss her sharp wit and ability to tell a great story. Cynthia was preceded in death by her parents Hartwell and Jean. She is survived by her husband Mack, her two children, Kimberly (James) Simon and Jay (Melissa), and three grandchildren, Matthew, Jillian, and Jason. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the International Crane Foundation https://www.savingcranes.org/safe-passage/.