Cynthia Ann Wolf

Cynthia A. Lost Howling Wolf, 73, passed away on August 6, 2025, in San Antonio, after a formidable fight against cancer. This ending was no defeat, but rather the closing act of a joyful, determined life full of curiosity and creativity.

Born in San Antonio to father, Fernando Martinez and mother, Delia Rosas-Martinez, Cynthia was a lifelong Texan and lover of its unique terrain. Fishing the flats of Port Aransas with her father and swimming in San Pedro Springs were cherished childhood memories. In this landscape, Cynthia also discovered her most fluent language: sculpting with raw clay.

A graduate of Providence High School, Cynthia went on to study at the McNay School of Art and the University of Texas at San Antonio, specializing in high-fire ceramics—a beautiful but notoriously temperamental medium. The hundreds of sculptures and paintings she would make reflected in-depth study of indigenous histories, including her own. Her maternal grandfather (“Mr. Rosas”) walked from Sonora across the border and brought with him Yaqui roots. And she often recalled the day her paternal grandmother gathered Cynthia and her siblings to tell them: “Your people are Chiricahua Apache.” This revelation reshaped her identity and became the bedrock of her life’s work.

Thirty-five years ago, in Ruidoso, New Mexico, Cynthia met her husband, filmmaker Brian Huberman. Their lives intertwined around shared interests in art and history, and over the years she contributed to several of his films as a sound operator, co-producer, and eventually as subject of a forthcoming documentary about Geronimo. Cynthia’s own artistic study of that legendary Apache leader, sparked by a famous 1886 photograph, fueled a decades-long exploration of indigenous resilience, diaspora, and identity in all dimensions. Her most recent series included dozens of paintings inspired by the Mimbres pottery of New Mexico and continued her tradition of honoring those who came before.

Cynthia never quit her post as art-maker, even when illness made the work difficult. She had a unique eye for fashion, crafting a look all her own that celebrated fabrics, jewelry, and good hiking boots. She created a beautiful home and garden. She befriended and cared for many good dogs. And she maintained a sparkling, exuberant spirit to the end. Any who knew her will remember a welcoming presence and an irrepressible grin. Cheerful in all weathers.

Cynthia is survived by her husband, Brian; her mother, Delia; her sister, Sylvia Martinez; and her brother, Mark Martinez. She joins her father, Fernando, and many relatives and ancestors whose stories she carried forward in her art. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the cultural preservation efforts of the Lipan Apache Tribe of Texas: https://www.lipanapache.org/LAT/donate.html

Please join the family in remembering Cynthia at a viewing and memorial service scheduled for Tuesday, August 19, at Porter Loring Mortuary - North* (2102 North Loop 1604 East, San Antonio, TX, 78232). Viewing begins at 5pm, followed by a rosary at 7pm.

The following morning at 10am, a gravesite service will be held at Holy Cross Cemetery.

*Note that Porter Loring has several locations. Ensure you navigate to the “North” campus.