Cynthia Jeanne Desive

She was born on February 12, 1961, in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, to Ted and Jeanne Westervelt. The oldest of two daughters, she shared a close, lifelong bond with her younger sister, Cathy.

As a child, Cindy loved riding horses and grew up surrounded by a close-knit group of friends, spending her days outside, playing kick the can and riding bikes. In high school, she was involved in just about everything—sports, choir, band, spring musicals, and church choir. She had a wide circle of friends and an outgoing personality that drew people to her.

She graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1983 with a degree in English and went on to become a high school teacher in a small town in Nebraska, following in her mother’s footsteps.

After a year of teaching, Cindy moved to Corpus Christi, Texas, where she worked and raised her four children—Morgan, Madison, Ben, and Mackenzie. She was incredibly involved in their lives, attending every game, performance, and milestone, always showing up with love and support. Every summer, she traveled to Nebraska with the kids to spend time with her parents.

As her children grew, Cindy spent her free time visiting them across Texas. She made it a priority to gather for birthdays and holidays, keeping her family closely connected. She found great joy in being “Grammy” to her two grandsons, Gage and Bennett, and treasured every moment with them.

In her final year, Cindy remained surrounded by love in Houston, with her sister and children by her side.

Cindy was preceded in death by her mother, Jeanne Westervelt. She is survived by her father, Ted Westervelt; her sister, Cathy (David) Beathard; her daughter, Morgan (Andrew) Riddle and their son, Gage; her daughter, Madison (Kevin) Bardwell; her son, Ben (Shelby) DeSive and their son, Bennett; and her daughter, Mackenzie (Eric) Rivera.

A celebration of Cindy’s life will be held on May 9 at the Reid Chapel of Seaside Funeral Home in Corpus Christi, Texas. Refreshments at 1:00pm, followed by the service at 2:00 pm. In honor of Cindy’s bright spirit, guests are asked to wear vibrant colors rather than traditional black.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Driscoll Children’s Hospital or

Gulf Coast Humane Society in her memory.