Cynthia Callahan Hemmerich

Cynthia Callahan Hemmerich of Durham, North Carolina passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on Monday, September 7, 2026 at the age of 66. She was born on June 7, 1960 in Cleveland, Ohio and grew up in the area.

She graduated from Lakewood (OH) High School in 1978 and Baldwin-Wallace College in 1983 with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science.

She is preceded in death by her father, Thomas Joseph Callahan, and mother, Lucille DeVries Callahan.

Cindy is survived by her husband, Michael Richard Hemmerich, her daughter, Cameron Elena Hemmerich, both of Durham, NC, her brother, Thomas James Callahan and wife, Laura Schwartz Callahan, of Westlake, OH, and her beloved golden retrievers, Biscuit and Shiloh.

Cindy was a devoted follower of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and her life centered on that devotion and her family.

If one word best described Cindy, it would be “joy.” She possessed a constant joy in her Christian faith and in her family, and her mere presence in a room brought joy to others. She had a wonderful sense of humor and an amazing laugh.

Cindy was always on the move. She literally worked out for at least two hours every single day and was regularly sighted walking the neighborhood with her golden retrievers. She loved traveling with Mike and Cameron, sharing new experiences and cultures with them. Her trips to the Holy Land were among her favorites. Barely a week before she passed, she returned home from a wonderful family vacation at their favorite spot on Oahu.

When not traveling, Cindy loved sitting on her screened porch, cuddled up with her golden retrievers, sipping her coffee, and relishing the sounds and smells of nature from the backyard woods.

Cindy was a voracious reader and even read or listened to podcasts while exercising. She constantly kept up with current events and politics, often telling Mike and Cameron the latest news and always offering her insightful — and pointed — opinions.

Every day, Cindy read the Bible and various study guides. In fact, those were the last things she read before she passed. She actively participated in her weekly women’s Bible study and Sunday school classes, where she was loved by the other members.

If there was any tension in her life, it was that Cindy was very frugal and, unlike her daughter Cameron, hated to shop. It was always amusing to see the two of them together in a store, with Cameron wanting to stay and Cindy wanting to leave.

Above all, Cindy was a rock and a source of strength and faith to Mike and Cameron whenever life posed its challenges. She loved them with all her heart, and they loved her just as deeply. They miss her terribly, but through the faith that was at the very center of Cindy’s life, they are assured that they will see her again in that joyous place called Heaven.

Family and friends are invited to attend a celebration of Cindy’s life of joy and generosity at Hayes Barton Baptist Church, 1800 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, NC on Saturday, October 3rd at 11:00am. Visitation with the family will begin after the service at the church. A private family burial will take place earlier at Raleigh Memorial Park, 7501 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh NC.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in her honor to Hayes Barton Baptist Church, 1800 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27608 or the Durham Rescue Mission, P. O. Box 11368, Durham, NC 27703.

“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.” - John 5:24

If you would like to leave a favorite memory / story of Cindy, or a message of condolence for her family, you may do so below, within 'Add a Memory'.