Cindy Marie Richards

Cindy Marie (Cavender) Richards, 44, of St. Joseph, passed away on Sunday, June 30, 2019, at Spectrum Health Lakeland in St. Joseph. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 10:00 A.M. on Saturday, July 6, 2019 at Starks & Menchinger Chapel & Cremation Services, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph with Pastor Don Parton officiating. Burial will follow at Hickory Bluff Cemetery in Stevensville. Friends may visit with the family from 4:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. on Friday, July 5, 2019 at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Luke & Jacob’s College Fund; payable to Steven Richards. Those wishing to sign Cindy’s Memory Book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Cindy was born May 8, 1975, in Royal Oak, MI to Thomas & Connie (Jackson) Cavender. She graduated in 1993 from Lamphere High School in Madison Heights. While in high school, she played both the french horn and trumpet, and she greatly enjoyed marching band. She also enjoyed directing youth camps; in her teens, she worked at Children’s summer camps and became a camp director in her 20’s. Cindy married Steven Richards on August 11, 1995 in Royal Oak, Michigan. In 2005, Steve and Cindy moved to the St. Joseph area where she began working for Whirlpool. In 2001, her first son Luke was born, and later, in 2007 her second son Jacob was born. She loved watching Luke play baseball and Jacob play rocket football. But whatever they chose to do, she was there cheering them on, encouraging them, and invested herself completely to blessing them. She loved them fiercely. Her biggest joy in life was to see her family joyful, healthy and loved. Her life was about blessing others. For Steve and the boys, wherever she was, was home. She was incredibly generous throughout her life; when she saw a need, she sought to meet it, often times at great personal expense. At home and at work, Cindy was the glue that held things together. She was the rock of the family, and she provided guidance, comfort and encouragement wherever needed. Cindy was amazing because she could somehow keep the family organized and functioning while maintaining high level jobs at Whirlpool and helping out at baseball boosters. One of Cindy’s passions in life was worshiping the Lord. She worshiped Him in good times and bad, and her radiant spirit would shine during worship and prayer. But even during worship, she was concerned about blessing others, making sure they were ok, seeing if she could help them find healing, peace, and joy. The theme of her life was selflessness. She was about loving others, and finding ways to touch their lives. She was about faith, hope, and love. She poured out herself completely into others, and whatever task she was working on. She was rare and true, and loved life to the fullest. Cindy is survived by her husband, Steven; sons, Luke and Jacob; parents, Connie & Thomas; brother, Russ Cavender of Sodus; grandfather, Okla Jackson; and many friends and family. Cindy was preceded in death by her miscarried son, Justice; foster brother, Craig Orlando; and grandparents, Merlyn Jackson and Alvin and Wilma Cavender.