Cynthia Everett Barrett

Cynthia Jarvis Everett Barrett passed away on July 15th at the age of 81 in New Bern, North Carolina. She peacefully passed with her husband Fred right beside her holding her hand. Cynthia was born July 29, 1943 in Robersonville, North Carolina to Delma Faye (Everett) Everett and Richard Frank Everett. Cynthia was raised in a loving home in Hamilton North Carolina with her parents and 3 sisters. As Cynthia would often say though, some of her best childhood memories were when her Dad was called up during the Korean War and she was already in school so she got to live by herself with her beloved grandparents Mama and Pop in Robersonville, North Carolina. She cherished her time spent with them, being the only grandchild there, getting to leave school early to go fishing, baking with Mama and gardening with Pop.

Cynthia met the love of her life, Fred Barrett at Oak City High School. She graduated from Oak City High school earning the honor of Class Salutatorian. They were married on July 5th, 1961 in Dillion South Carolina. They started their married life together at North Carolina State University Married Student Housing. They just celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary. They enjoyed a wonderful day together holding hands and watching “their” movie A Summer Place (1958). Cynthia and Fred share a love for each other that can’t be measured. When they married in 1961 as a young couple, they just knew that together they could take on the world and they never looked back. Fred graduated from NCSU in 3 years with Cynthia right beside him writing a paper or two. She was even awarded a Best Wife Diploma from NC State which she liked to say was much bigger than Fred’s diploma. They raised 3 children, in 8 different states, 10 different moves as Fred advanced in his career. At each new place they moved Cynthia became actively involved in the community. Cynthia has taught many Sunday School classes, been involved in Girl Scouts as a leader in many communities. Volunteered at many local schools helping young children learn to read. Cynthia was a co-coach with Fred for many sports, team mom, team chauffeur not only for her own children but many other children in the communities that would not have been able to play if Cynthia didn’t take them to practice and games. In 1978 while living in Northern Virginia Cynthia saw a need and created a Mother Day Out Program at Ox Hill Baptist Church in Chantilly Virginia the program was active for 45 years providing a wonderful service for moms in the community.

Cynthia’s artistic abilities were showcased in many different business adventures throughout her lifetime. Cynthia was a skilled seamstress not only making clothes for her family but also using her talent providing alterations, creating beautiful dresses, clothes and linens for others.

While in Columbia, South Carolina Cynthia and her neighbor opened a ceramic studio teaching lessons and creating ceramic pieces from the pouring of the mold to the finished piece to sell.

In Virginia Cynthia took a cake decorating class and quickly became a very talented cake decorator. Cynthia created countless cakes from elaborate wedding cakes to calls from her children asking if she could please make a cake and bring it by lunch to school. The art form Cynthia found the most reward in was stained glass. Cynthia became a very talented stained-glass artist. She created windows, furniture inlays, pictures, lamps, jewelry and beautiful kaleidoscopes for her customers as well as lucky friends and family.

After raising her children Cynthia was able to fulfill a lifelong goal at the age of 43 she started college. Cynthia graduated Summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science with an emphasis on Women’s studies from Sangamon State University.

Cynthia and Fred retired in 1999 and moved back home to Eastern North Carolina. Finding a beautiful place on the river in Blounts Creek. Fred and Cynthia joined First Christian Church in Washington, North Carolina. They were in instrumental in starting the CIA (Christians in Action) program committed to helping those in need in their community. They enjoyed together teaching a young couple’s Sunday School class. Cynthia also served as an Elder in her church. Cynthia leaned on her faith to help her through a colon cancer diagnosis as well as a cancer diagnosis for her husband. Cynthia received wonderful care from the Beaufort County Hospital in Washington. This led her to join the Marion L Sheppard Cancer Center Foundation serving on the Board of Directors, where their focus was to provide care for the physical and emotional needs of cancer patients in the community. Cynthia was a guiding loving hand for many on their cancer walk. Cynthia took up golf after retirement. She and Fred joined Cypress Landing Golf course and enjoyed many years of rounds of golf and making lifelong friends. Cynthia served as the Co-President of the women’s league for 2 terms. Cynthia is the only person in the family to record a Hole in One. She made it on the 15th hole at Cypress Landing Golf Course. Many years into Fred and Cynthia’s retirement they purchased a camper and spent !0 wonderful years traveling across the United States seeing the sites, playing golf, and visiting old friends and family. Cynthia was a lifelong NC State Wolfpack fan and especially loved the Wolfpack Women’s Basketball team.

Cynthia was a devoted mom to her 3 children. She provided them with the greatest gifts of unconditional love, guidance, comfort, a strong sense of family, courage, sprinkled with a large dose of fun, laughter and creativity. Cynthia loved the role of Grammie as her grandchildren, great grandchildren, and many other kids affectionately knew her by. She shared with them her love for beautiful sunsets, finding animals and people in the fluffy clouds, the Atlantic Ocean and the Pamlico Sound. She loved traveling with her grandkids, going to see them doing what they love, teaching them to bake, sew, paint, make stained glass, crawling on the floor, dance parties, beating them in a competitive game of Scrabble or Rummy. Grammie was always there to offer a warm hug and a bit of advice only she could offer to a cherished grandchild.

She is survived by her loving husband Fred; children, Cindy Hanson (Kirk), Freda McKee (Todd), Michael Barrett (Lynda); grandchildren, Samantha Blackwelder, Jessica Bruzdzinski, Lauren Lyle, Piper Hanson, Tiffany Yandle, Mac Hanson, Alex McKee, Emma Barrett, Dalton McKee, Addison McKee, Cole McKee, Eli Barrett; great grandchildren, Paige Ervin, TJ Blackwelder, Dani Bruzdzinski, Emily Bruzdzinski, Megan Blackwelder, Beckett Eudy, Kaydon McKee, Renleigh McKee, Olsen Eudy, Barrett Lyle, Lennie Hanson, Zach Lyle, Messer Hanson, Samson Lyle; sisters Frankie Daniel (Bert), Susan Hawkins (Ken), Elette Owen (Mike); sister-in-law Pat O’Neal; many cherished friends, cousins, nieces and nephews, and her beloved dog Jazz.

Her family is so grateful to the staff for the love and care she received this last year while residing at Homeplace in New Bern, North Carolina. Even as she battled Alzheimer’s she always held on to her loving, caring for others, competitive self.

The family would like to invite you to Cynthia’s Celebration of Life, Saturday, July 26th at 12:00 pm. First Christian Church, 307 East Third St., Washington NC.

Please join us in wearing bright colors or NC State red to celebrate Cynthia’s Life.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly request that memorial contributions be made to the Dementia Alliance of North Carolina- Martin County or The Marion L. Shepard Cancer Foundation. A designated area will be available at the Celebration of Life for those who wish to leave a donation.

Cotten Funeral Home & Crematory is honored to serve the Barrett family.