MELROSE — Cynthia A. “Cindy” (Hughes) Jencks, 78, a lifelong Melrose resident, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family on Friday, Jan. 9.
Lovingly known as Cindy, she was born in Stoneham, one of three daughters of the late George and Doris E. (Donnelly) Hughes. Raised in Melrose, she graduated from Melrose High School and was proud to call Melrose home. Cindy enjoyed working for Bank of America for over 40 years, retiring as a trust officer.
A tireless worker, Cindy dedicated herself to raising her three children. She was strong, independent and was forever proud of buying her first home and attaining her degree from Suffolk University in Business Administration while also working.
Cindy was a longtime member of the First Baptist Church in Melrose and enjoyed spending summers in Windham, N.H. She cherished her seven grandchildren and loved watching them compete in their sporting events.
In her free time, she loved playing cribbage and Scrabble with her sister, Janice. She was also actively involved at the Saugus Senior Center where she found comfort in sewing hats for infants for local hospitals and organizing care packages for soldiers during the Gulf Wars.
She was a loyal friend and made many lasting friendships through the Senior Center, especially her dear longtime friends Betty Frongillo and Astrid Napolitano. She also enjoyed traveling, especially to Europe with her nieces and nephews. Above all else, she was a devoted family woman to her three children, seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Cindy was the loving mother of Charles H. McPherson III and his companion Teresa Hale of Shalimar, Fla., Deborah Drebit and her husband Stephen of Wakefield and Michael McPherson and his wife Marybeth Richardson of Denver, Colo. She was the beloved sister of Janice Root and her husband Dennis of Windham, N.H. and Judith Bernier of Longwood, Fla. She was the cherished grandmother of Charles H. McPherson IV and his wife Stephanie of Colorado Springs, Colo., Justin L. McPherson of Oklahoma City, Okla., Brian P. McPherson and his wife Nicole of Harker Heights, Texas, Brandon J. Drebit of Wakefield, Andrea M. Drebit of Wakefield, Alex C. McPherson of Stoneham and Max R. McPherson of Stoneham. She was the loving great-grandmother of Ethan McPherson, Jordan Drebit and Ava Drebit. She is also survived by six loving nieces and nephews.
Relatives and friends gathered in honor and remembrance of Cindy’s life during visiting hours at the Robinson Funeral Home, 809 Main St., Melrose on Tuesday, Jan. 13, from 4 to 8 p.m. and again on Wednesday morning for her funeral service celebrated at 10 a.m. Interment in Wyoming Cemetery, Melrose.
Gifts in Cindy’s memory may be made to the Saugus Council on Aging, 466 Central St., Saugus MA 01906.
For online tribute or to share a memory, visit RobinsonFuneralHome.com.
