Cynthia Dunham

Our mother, Cynthia Dunham, went to be with her Lord and Savior on January 9th, 2018, at her home in Garfield, surrounded by her loving family. She was born at home near Crookston, Nebraska on August 25th, 1928, the second child of Charles William and Mayme (Walkling) VanderPloeg.

Mother's life was centered around her faith, family and home. Both she and dad were raised on the farm and knew the value of hard work. She met our father, James Dunham, quite by accident. He came to visit on horseback when she was 7 and he 13 and found her taking a bath in the stock tank! Years later, just before he left for war, he asked her to marry him. Dad was gravely wounded in WWII and sent home for treatment. After he was released, they were married in Valentine, Nebraska on December 19th, 1944. In November of 1955, they moved to Casper, Wyoming. Dad retired in the mid 1980's from the postal service and his dream was to retire in Arkansas. By that time, three of their daughters were already living here. It wasn't long before the other two and their families followed. Mom and Dad were married for 64 years when he died in 2008.

Mother worked a few jobs as we were growing up, but the most rewarding was the ten years she worked at the State Children's Home in Casper, working nights on the "big boys" wing. She loved those boys and they loved her back. A few visited her home after they were grown and gone. She enjoyed taking small groups to the roller skating rink then back to the house for hot chocolate and homemade pizza. Her heart went out to them. She went on to manage convenient stores, receiving numerous awards for various accomplishments. After moving to Garfield, she worked for 15 years at Garfield Citgo/Garfield Convenience Store, retiring in 2008 at the age of 79.

Mom and Dad raised 5 daughters. Although she worked outside the home, she made sure the house was clean (and chores assigned), prepared homemade meals, and made sure that we were in church whenever the church doors were open. No excuses. Sick? She prayed and we went to church. Tired? No place better to sleep than in the house of God. Test tomorrow? Study before church and God would bring it back to your remembrance. She prayed and God answered. She was an amazing woman of faith and an awesome mother. What a legacy! Thanks, Mom!

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, James, their youngest daughter, Jaclyn Baugh, her son-in-law, James Kennedy, her granddaughter, Camilla Ashley, her grandson by marriage, Quentin Robards, her great-granddaughter Brittany Braun, her brother, John VanderPloeg and his wife Maryanne, two special nephews Rick and John VanderPloeg and a sister, Leona Dunham.

She is survived by her daughters: Jeannette Nida and her husband, Jerry, Sandra Kennedy, Ruth Obert and husband, Buddy, all of Garfield, Carroll Dunham of Bentonville, son-in-law, Michael Silk of Springdale, 12 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, 4 great-great-grandchildren, sister, Linda Sanders and husband, Huey of Seattle, Washington, a sister-in-law, Delores Kisner of Loanoke, Colorado and special nephew Bill VanderPloeg and wife Leanne, of Seattle, Washington.