Cynthia L. Pille

Cynthia Lee Sims was born during a blizzard on March 23, 1957 in Alma, Nebraska to Edith Ann and Virgil Sims. Cindy was the youngest of three daughters raised on the family farm near Huntley where she attended elementary school, church and hung around her grandfather’s grocery store. She graduated from Wilcox High School in 1975 where she was active in vocal music, band, drama, yearbook, volleyball, basketball and cheerleading. She went to Kearney State College to major in Education. She was also active in the Alpha Phi Sorority, Wagoneers Dance Team and Student Ambassadors.

After graduation in 1979, she started teaching at Golden Hills Elementary in the Papillion LaVista School District. Her parents were apprehensive about her moving to the big city of Omaha, but they couldn’t hold her back. Cindy had a successful teaching career, retiring in 2015. She spent most of it teaching Special Education, helping the district implement the concept of inclusion (bringing Special Education students into regular classrooms). Cindy was named the District’s Elementary Teacher of the Year in 2008. She earned a Masters Degree from Doane College in 1996.

Cindy married Vince Pille on October 22, 1983 at First United Methodist Church in Omaha. They lived there until moving to Papillion in 1988. They have four children; Janae, Celeste, and twins Grant and Gretchen. She loved being their mom and encouraged them to pursue their dreams, but required them to do the work it would take to succeed. Cindy loved family gatherings and vacations. She travelled frequently to Central Nebraska to be with family and took road trips to both coasts and many points in between. The family time was important, but she also made them educational. Many vacations involved time at the beach. A favorite was celebrating her retirement by taking the entire family to Gulf Shores, Alabama. Janae’s marriage to Jim Robinson in 2011 was a significant family celebration. They have two adorable daughters, Edith Ann and Willa Agnes, who have been a constant source of joy for six years.

Her faith was important to her and she felt it most through music. Cindy was active in the St. Paul’s Methodist Church choir for over thirty years, often performing solos and other special music. She also served on various committees and helped with lunches and other activities.

As a teenager, Cindy dreamed of a career in fashion design. This played out later life through her love of shopping. She developed her own sense of style with bright colors and bold prints. For several years, she hosted her sisters and families on annual back-to-school shopping weekends. This evolved into a competition with prizes for different categories of shoppers.

Cindy was a founding Board Member of the Papillion LaVista Community Theater and later served a term as President. She enjoyed chorus roles in a few productions. A favorite was playing a nun in The Sound of Music, much to the delight of her Catholic mother-in-law. Other volunteer work included a term on the Kearney State College Alumni Association Board, serving lunches at the Omaha Street School and working in the Methodist Hospital Gift Shop.

Cindy was known for her fun and friendly personality and positive outlook. That served her well upon the diagnosis of ovarian cancer in late 2015. She continued to live a full life through taxing chemotherapy treatments. Even during five weeks of palliative care, she made the most of her time with family and friends. She passed from this life during a heat wave on June 14, 2021. Her life was a gift to us all.

Memorials suggested to: Papillion LaVista Community Theater,

Papillion LaVista Schools Foundation for Golden Hills Special Education Program

St. Paul UMC Music Program