Cynthia "Cindy" Hardy Cruikshank

Her early years started her on many paths. She fell in love with dogs of many breeds, but cherished boxers who kept her company in her adult years. She began painting at a young age, which relaxed her through the years and helped develop her talent with colors that she used proficiently throughout her career as an Interior Designer. Her Dad, who was a pitcher for the New Orleans Pelicans baseball team prior to WWII, had her playing multiple sports at a young age, such as softball and basketball. Cindy also learned to bowl, winning multiple City Championships in singles, doubles and mixed doubles. But the times Cindy enjoyed most were the times with her dad on the water, where he taught her how to fish and water ski. He often told her, “If you can learn to ski on Lake Pontchartrain, you can ski anywhere!”

Cindy attended St. Gabriel in Gentilly for grammar school, Prytania for middle school and Sacred Heart High School on Canal Street for high school, graduating in the Class of ‘69. Cindy excelled in sports at Sacred Heart, helping to lead the softball, basketball and volleyball teams to many victories. She also used her leadership talents to be elected to SGA President. Cindy developed and cherished many friendships from Sacred Heart that lasted well beyond high school with monthly outings and luncheons with her classmates through the end of her life.

Cindy moved on to attend college at LSU in 1969, where she had a blind date with a red-haired, small-town guy, coincidentally named Bill like her dad. She decided he might amount to something and stole his heart away. Cindy also joined Alpha Phi Fraternity, helping to lead their sports teams and truly cherishing the sisterhood developed throughout her years at LSU. In adulthood, Cindy served on the House Corp for her chapter and also continued monthly luncheons and trips with many of her sisters. Cindy earned her BA in Interior Design from LSU in 1973, married the red-head, and they started a beautiful life together.

Cindy’s career started at Maison Blanche and continued there until she gave birth to her greatest love, her son Billy, affectionately called Sonny Boy. After a year off, Cindy resumed her career taking a job with the Clyde W. Smith Co., which was an office furniture and supplies business. Cindy was assigned as the Knoll International dealer, catching the eye of Knoll, who approached her to become their New Orleans Sales Representative. Cindy’s career shined with Knoll, working for the Wall Component division of the company designing office space. Cindy led Knoll’s U.S. sales force achieving Sales Rep of the Year multiple times, assisted by New Orleans developments in the 80’s such as the LL&E tower on Poydras and the First Homestead building on Airline along with many other projects. Not wanting to leave New Orleans, Cindy turned down offers to lead the New York and Chicago offices. She then moved to other international furniture manufacturers, Sunar Hauserman and Herman Miller. After the 80’s boom ended, she left the furniture manufacturers to work for Hibernia Bank, helping to design their office spaces as they expanded their footprint. The Fed takeover of Hibernia left her out of work, so she answered an ad by Alton Doody, who wanted to start a design company. The Doody Group was formed, specializing in funeral home developments. Cindy was named President of the firm with 25 architects, designers and support staff. Following the funeral home collapse in 1995, she left in 1996, starting her own interior design firm, Design Environments. Design Environments serviced a wide range of clients, one of which included the Catholic Diocese of Baton Rouge, where Cindy handled expansion projects for Bishop Sullivan High School, currently known as St. Michael the Archangel High School.

Cindy worked hard, but she enjoyed life more! Her favorite thing was cooking for her family and friends. We partied, took part in multiple Mardi Gras krewes, went boating & fishing, partied more, took up golf, and even bought a fishing camp in Venice getting bigger boats and partying even more! She and the red head did everything together. More than a love story, it was a tremendous companionship by best friends which kept them together until the end.

Sonny Boy and his love, Stacy, gave Cindy the greatest loves in her life, Emma and Josie. She spent hours with them painting, gardening and guiding them in her own, giving way. Nothing made her happier than watching them grow and succeed.

Cindy was preceded in death by her parents, William Charles Hardy, Jr. and Josephine Sabathier Hardy, and her grandson, William Edward Cruikshank III.

Cindy is survived by her husband of 53 years, William Edward Cruikshank, her son, William Edward Cruikshank II, his wife, Stacy Rieger Cruikshank, granddaughters, Emma Cruikshank and Josephine Cruikshank, goddaughter Nanette Rodick, and numerous cousins.

The services will take place on Tuesday, November 17, 2026 at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd. New Orleans, LA 70124. The visitation will begin at 11:30 am until the funeral mass at 2:00 pm. The interment will follow at All Saints Mausoleum, which is on the same grounds as the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to alphaphifoundation.org or to a charity of your choice.

The mass will be accessible via livestream at the following link: https://client.tribucast.com/tcid/c2611482298306