A Life of Excellence

Cynthia launched her professional career after earning a certificate in Key Punching, a skill she steadily expanded through years of dedication and a genuine hunger for growth. At Hewlett Packard in Rancho Bernardo, she built a respected career spanning recruitment, human resources, administrative support, and general clerical work. Her work was so thorough and well organized that her own notes and instructions became the basis for the training manuals used to onboard new employees, a quiet testament to the excellence she brought to everything she touched.

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Faith, Family & Service

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In 1980, doctors told Cynthia she would never be able to have children. But Cynthia believed God always has the final word and on April 21, 1981, she welcomed her only child, a daughter she named Monique. Years later, after the end of her first marriage, Cynthia met Billy Jones. It was during her courtship with Billy that Cynthia became a devoted member of the African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church, beginning at Prince Chapel A.M.E. in La Jolla and continuing faithfully at Bethel A.M.E. in San Diego. Her faith was active and full of service. She served as an usher and gave her time and gifts to the Lay Organization, the Women's Missionary Society, the Class Leaders, the Usher Board, and the Mr. and Mrs. ministries. Beyond the church walls, she helped organize the Interfaith Shelter Network, Angel Tree, Change for Change, meals for the local women's shelter, and the annual Thanksgiving Baskets. Whenever there was documentation to manage or funds to steward, everyone knew to call Cynthia; her organizational skills were simply impeccable.

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For all her accomplishments, Cynthia was best known for her giving heart. Once you were in her fold, you were guaranteed a holiday card, a birthday card, or a "just because" card. She was the sweetest, strongest, and most selfless person you could ever hope to meet, a woman with a heart of gold and a smile that could light up any room, beautiful inside and out.

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A Legacy That Lives On

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When Cynthia passed, those who loved her discovered just how far her generosity had reached. She had given not only to her church, but to dozens upon dozens of organizations across the years. As her daughter reviewed those gifts alongside the causes Cynthia championed in her own ministry, a clear pattern emerged: again and again, Cynthia had poured herself into supporting survivors of domestic violence, STEM education for young people, those experiencing homelessness, and children with an incarcerated parent. Quietly and faithfully, she had been serving these causes all along. Her family wanted that mission, that love, and that support to continue. And so, the 1946 Cynthia Elaine Foundation, named for the year of her birth, was created to carry her legacy forward, focusing on the very causes closest to her heart: domestic violence, STEM education,​ homelessness, and children of incarcerated parents. Through this work, Cynthia's love for God and for others remains the fabric of her legacy and her hands of service reach further still, just as she would have wanted.