Cindy McNealy

Cynthia LaNell "Cindy" McNealy, 67, of Farmington, NM passed away due to advanced Early Onset Alzheimer's on April 18th, 2024.

She was born in Los Alamos, NM on February 10th, 1957 to Fred and Lynda Frazier. Her father was a journeyman electrician so they moved frequently throughout her childhood and lived all over the state, but settled in Bloomfield, NM in 1974. She graduated from Bloomfield High School in 1975 and met the love of her life, Doug McNealy, while working at Britt's during her senior year. They were married the weekend after she graduated in May of 1975 and settled in Farmington. In 1981 they adopted their daughter Riannon, followed by the birth of their sons Michael in 1985 and Daniel in 1992. While their children were young, Cindy worked at Emmanuel Baptist Church at the nursery, and taught ceramics in the evenings through the Community Learning Center. She was a talented artist, and in 1989 she started working as a ceramics instructor for San Juan College. While there, she started the Native Youth Art camp to provide a place for Navajo youth to learn about traditional art. She also organized yearly workshops, bringing in many different artists to share their skills with the community. In 2004, she started working as the San Juan College Gallery Coordinator, a job which she loved and

took great pride in. As gallery coordinator, she added numerous beautiful pieces of art to the college's permanent collection. Tragically, she was diagnosed with dementia in 2014 and was unable to continue at her beloved job, but she and Doug continued to enjoy art and their many, many friends in the art community for several more years. Doug and Cindy shared a loving 49 year marriage and enjoyed spending time together at car shows, watching live music, and spending time with their children and grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her father, Fred Frazier and grandparents, Walter and Maggie Frazier, and Lloyd and Trixie McNabb. She is survived by her loving husband Doug McNealy of Farmington NM, daughter Riannon (Rob) Bradshaw of Queen Creek, AZ, sons Michael (Lauren) McNealy, and Daniel (Nikki) McNealy, both of Farmington, NM, mother Lynda Frazier of Flora Vista, NM, sisters Dianne (Rick) McCoy of Flora Vista, NM and Brenda (Mark) Hardy of Gilbert, AZ and grandchildren Morgan, Allison and Cameron Bradshaw, Jack Popplewell, and Adelaide McNealy.

A celebration of life will be held on June 22nd at San Juan College at the Henderson Fine Arts Center, Room # and time TBD. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Alzheimer's Association to help fund research so that one day this horrific disease will not rob another family of such a wonderful person. Also please consider buying art to support local artists.