Cynthia "Cindy" Stenkamp

Cynthia (Cindy) Marie Stenkamp passed away in her sleep Thursday morning, November 12, 2020 at her home in Fort Collins Colorado. She was 61 years old.

Cindy was born in Heppner, OR in the spring of 1959 to Ben and Mardy Stenkamp. Cindy was the first of 4 children born to Ben and Mardy, who then had brother James (Jim), sister Deborah (Deb), and youngest brother Joseph (Joe). Traveling the Pacific Northwest following father Ben's banking career, Cindy could be found living in Heppner OR, Pocatello ID, Moscow ID, and eventually Boise ID where she began her career in dentistry after graduating from Boise State University. She was a very skilled dental assistant and loved to work her passion. Cindy worked in dental offices in Idaho, Washington and Colorado over her 40 year career.

After her two children, Beau and Chloe, were born they moved west to Buckley, WA where they spent the next several years. Cindy enjoyed nordic skiing and visiting McCall Idaho with her family in the winter and would always make a date for dinner at The Mill. She met her husband Tom in Hailey ID and together moved to Colorado where they have lived for the past 7 years, most recently Fort Collins. She was an avid jazz fan, regularly making trips with her husband Tom to the Sun Valley Jazz Festival, and enjoyed all flavors of live music at the Red Rocks Amphitheater closer to home. They also loved to recreate in the nearby national parks including Rocky Mountain, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton. Cindy had a beautiful singing voice, and enjoyed being socially active. Cindy was very generous in her life as well, donating to many, MANY charities including; The Sierra Club, ACLU, Environmental Defense Fund, 4Ocean, MoveOn.org, Southwest Indian Foundation, Audubon Society, Friends of the Earth, and several others. When Covid-19 hit the shores of the US, she was first to offer our friends and family not only homemade, but also made-to-order masks, with any choice of fabric or color. Her masks were sent all over the country.

Whenever Cindy would visit, she made it feel like home with a fresh scented candle that would leave us with a warm feeling long after she left. On a typical night you would find her cozied up to a wood fire with a cat on her lap reading the latest Stephen King novel, unless Boise State was playing football, in which case she would rather be covered in blue and orange rooting for her alma-mater. On a typical day you might see her sitting in the backyard feeding birds and squirrels, and "Imagining all the People, Living Life in Peace, and Sharing all the World."

Cindy is survived by her husband Tom Hellen (Fort Collins, CO), son Beau (Boise, ID), daughter Chloe and husband Ben (Logan, UT), mother Mardy (Boise, ID), sister-in-law Susie (Leavenworth, WA), sister Deb and husband Charles and niece Iris (Moscow, ID), brother Joe, wife Tami and nieces Madilyn and Abigail (Boise, ID). She was predeceased by her father Ben (2018), and brother Jim (2020).

Cindy was well loved by family and friends throughout the Northwest. She was a wonderful mother, sister, daughter, and wife and we will miss her greatly. Memorial arrangements are pending. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to one of the charities mentioned above.

A Memorial Mass will be held at 11:00 am on Friday, February 18, 2022 at St. Mark's Catholic Church, 7960 W. Northview Street, Boise, ID 83704. (The starting time of her service may change, please continue to check back for updates)