Cynthia Vandenberg

Cindy was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Edith and Leo Horowitz and raised with her sister Roberta. She was an inquisitive, thoughtful and kind child. She enjoyed taking dance lessons from Marjorie Guthrie in the Martha Graham method. This dance school inspired her lifelong love of dance which she carried into her avid theater and dance attendance at New York City theaters later in life. She excelled as a student and skipped two grades, resulting in her graduation from high school when she was only 16 years old. Feeling too young to go off to college alone, she followed a relative to the University of Albany. While studying for her masters in Library Science at Columbia University, she met her future husband Jeff Vandenberg. They had one son, Gregory Evan Vandenberg, in 1979. They divorced amicably in 2006 and remained lifelong friends.

In 1981, Cindy moved with her family to Westfield, New Jersey and then Larchmont, New York in 1987 before returning to Manhattan in 2001. She worked at McGraw Hill and finished her career as a librarian at the Rye Free Reading Room in Rye, New York. Always a voracious reader, Cindy curated a stack of 4-8 library books waiting to be read on her kitchen counter. She always had an open Sunday crossword puzzle to be worked on throughout the week. In 2015, she met Will Creed, with whom she found a loving companion for New York City outings. During the COVID lockdown, they were one of the first to visit the “bubble” outdoor seating restaurants together. They enjoyed going to Off Broadway theater. She did not care for musicals and farces, but took pleasure in dramas and very creative stagings. Her favorites included Kate Hamill’s Pride and Prejudice at Primary Stages, and Once at the New York Theater Workshop (admittedly a musical but with songs she actually liked). She intuitively knew how to recommend readings, music, tv programs, movies and theater to specific people, knowing their personalities, likes and dislikes.

Cindy was a very attentive and caring family member. After her grandchildren, Alexander and Nathaniel, were born, she spent her family time with them on the floor playing lots of games. Every time the kids saw her she had a new book, game or puzzle for them. She was very good about maintaining a rotating photo wall of the family on her refrigerator. She was deeply devoted to her sister, Roberta, who was diagnosed with ALS in 2012. Cindy made sure to have regular visits for the next eight years to spend time together. Cindy spent her last year as a volunteer tutor at the World Language School teaching English to non-native speakers.

As a beloved mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend she will be missed dearly. In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing to the Children’s Aid Society of New York (information below).

A private memorial visitation is planned for close friends and family.