Lucinda Joyce Menke of Selah passed from this life into eternal life with our Lord Jesus Christ on April 1, 2022. She had battled aphasia and dementia for 5 years. “Cindy” as we all knew her, was born February 19, 1950, in Spokane, Washington to Frederick and Irma Menke. She grew up on the family’s wheat ranch near Wilbur, Washington. Cindy was nine when her father died leaving behind her and her mother, sister, and soon-to-be born brother. She helped raise her baby brother, Fred and doted on him. She would share fond memories of those times and looked back on them with happiness.
Cindy attended Gonzaga University with hopes of becoming a doctor. She received a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from Gonzaga in 1972, and then spent a semester at the University of Hawaii studying for a Master’s Degree in Genetics. It was not until attending the Central Washington State College Center for Medical Technology that she knew she had found her passion and life-long career. Cindy was hired at Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital in 1977 where she worked in the laboratory in Hematology, retiring as Supervisor of Hematology in 2015. She loved everyone in the laboratory like family and touched many lives.
In 1979 her mother moved to Yakima to live with her, and they settled in Selah, Washington. Cindy decided to have a child by artificial insemination, a new idea for career women in that day. In 1982 her daughter Caroline was born. She was a devoted, patient, loving and amazing mother. Cindy and her mother Irma raised Carrie with love and strength.
Cindy had many interests during her lifetime. She loved history and religion. She was a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church and attended many years of Bible Study Fellowship. Cindy was the family historian, writing down family stories passed on from her mother and aunts. She learned to spin and weave wool and enjoyed knitting. She loved sewing and quilting, making shirts for herself and quilts for all her family. She took up vegetable gardening and keeping chickens. Her love of the ocean was deep, and she adored vacationing in Hawaii and Cannon Beach.
Survivors include daughter Caroline “Carrie” and husband Curt Rosenkranz and granddaughters Hailey and Natalie of Selah, brother Fredrick Menke and wife Carla of Kennewick, nephew David Skinner of Spokane, nieces Melinda (Erik – Camden & Audrey) Shimizu of Cortland, NY, Erin (Anthony – Holly & Ivy) Adams of Richland, Katey (Chris – Kacey) Soares of Everett, nephews Patrick Menke and Jonathan Menke of Kennewick, niece Leslie Skinner of Spokane, grandnephew Justin (Abigail) Skinner of Spokane and grandniece Tayla (Ryan) Reierson of Superior, WI. She is preceded in death by her father Fred, mother Irma and sister Rae Ann.
