Jennifer Rindos

Jen was born on March 13, 1969 in Syosset, NY to the late Charles Edward Wagner and the late Gail Ellen Wagner (née McCool). She grew up in Westbury, NY, and later settled in Hicksville, NY.

She was the beloved wife of Thomas Rindos and the devoted mother of Leah Rindos. Tom and Leah were the center of her life. She loved them fiercely.

She is also survived by her loving sisters: Wendy Wagner, Leslie Nickels, and Carrie McMichael; her sister-in-law Jean Reid (Ken); and her brothers-in-law: Kenneth Zirkel, Bruce Nickels, Thomas McMichael, Robert Rindos (Michelle), Charles Rindos, and Stephen Rindos (Denise). She was predeceased by her sister-in-law Susan Rindos.

She also leaves behind many nieces and nephews whom she adored: Kenneth Reid, Charles Reid, Michael Reid, Sarah Rindos, Kristen Rindos, Julie Rindos, Sophie Zirkel, Eric Zirkel, Natalie McMichael, Thomas McMichael, John Nickels, and Jake Nickels.

Jen loved to learn and loved to teach. She graduated from Hofstra with a degree in sociology, then went on to receive her Masters of Arts in Teaching, Elementary and Early Childhood Education at Queens College. At Queens she was nominated for Kappa Delta Pi, the International Honor Society in Education. For several years, she taught PreK-6 in the classroom and as a tutor.

In recent years, she considered seeking another graduate degree in psychology. In addition, she earned a certificate as a Yoga teacher through Breathe for Change, and she became a licensed real estate agent. She also pursued becoming a volunteer tour guide at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Jen was spiritual in a broad, inclusive sense. She truly pondered the nature of the universe and looked for meaning in her life. She was deeply interested in ways of thinking beyond the ordinary, exploring topics such as Buddhism, cryptozoology, cosmology, mysticism, and historical mysteries. She was fascinated by ancient things and was particularly moved by her visit to Stonehenge in 2022 where she touched the ancient stones to feel their power.

She had an encyclopedic knowledge of her favorite television shows – MASH, Seinfeld, and Big Bang Theory – and she loved the NY Mets and the NY Islanders. One of her favorite things was to go to concerts, and she made sure to attend several concerts each year for as long as she could. Of course, the most memorable concert was her favorite artist of all time, Prince.

Jen was happiest when she was outdoors, with her family, absorbing the beauty of nature. She could spend hours looking at mountains, beaches, or forests or even her own backyard. Every summer, she and her sisters carefully planned vacations to places such the White Mountains, Lake George, Cape Cod, the North Fork of Long Island, the Berkshires, and most importantly, the Catskills. Jen was never happier than when the family gathered at either the Russell Brook campground or Merrill’s Farm.

But most of all, she loved her family, especially her daughter and her nieces and nephews. Her background in teaching made her particularly empathetic and sensitive to the needs of children, and she built deep personal relationships with all the children in her family starting at a young age. She was generous with her love, never holding it back.

Jen was also stronger than she realized. Despite her Stage 4 cancer diagnosis 15 years ago, she lived in the present. She was always hopeful and determined up till the end of her life. If you would like to honor her determination and passion, we ask you to consider donating to one of the following organizations in her memory:

Memorial Sloan Kettering: https://give.mskcc.org/site/Donation2 Choose “Give In Honor” and use [email protected] if you want to send a notification

Donors Choose: https://www.donorschoose.org/ to help teachers provide opportunities for their students