Cynthia Gardner Smith

Cynthia Gardner Smith

LAKEVILLE — Cynthia (“Cindy”) Gardner Smith, 90, passed away peacefully Tuesday, April 8, 2025, at Noble Horizons in Salisbury.

Born Aug.19, 1934, at Sharon Hospital, Cindy was the eldest of 5 children born to the late William B. Barnett and Mary L. (Tuttle) Barnett of Lakeville.

A life-long resident of Lakeville, Cindy graduated from both Salisbury Central School and Housatonic Valley Regional High School before earning her LPN degree at Yale New Haven Hospital. After graduating from nursing school, she worked at the Yale New Haven Hospital and Children’s Hospital in San Francisco, California, in the labor/delivery department and the pediatrics department.

Upon returning to Lakeville, she worked for a time at Community Health Plan and as the school nurse at Indian Mountain School, retiring after 17 years of service with the school. In addition to her career in nursing, Cindy extended her expertise in the care and well-being of children by providing childcare to local families which spanned two generations.

Cindy was a tenacious problem solver and an incredibly talented seamstress/ knitter who relished the challenge of anything that required manual dexterity and skill. She enjoyed sailing her sunfish on Lakeville Lake, loved travelling, birdwatching, and gardening.

Cindy was a life-long member of The Lakeville Methodist Church and very active in all aspects of the church. Cynthia was predeceased by her father (William B. Barnett), mother (Mary L. Tuttle Barnett), sister (Joan B. Loper), and twin brothers (William Barnett, Jr. and John Barnett).

She is survived by Clayton S. Smith, her devoted husband of 53 years, her son Darren G. Smith, brother Peter Barnett, sister/brother-in-law Marion and Fred Romeo, as well as many nieces and nephews.

Graveside services will be held Saturday, May 31, 2025, at 9:00 a.m in Salisbury Cemetery. A Celebration of Cynthia’s life will be held later that morning at 10:00 a.m. in the Chapel at Noble Horizons, followed by a reception with light refreshments in the Community Room at Noble Horizons. Ryan Funeral Home, 255 Main St., Lakeville, is in care of arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in her honor to the Lakeville Methodist Church, PO Box 648, Lakeville, Connecticut 06039.

To offer an online condolence, please visit www.ryanfhct.com

Latest News

Test MN Newsletter - CH

Keep ReadingShow less
Summer Nights of Canaan

Wednesday, July 16

Cobbler n’ Cream
5 to 7 p.m.
Freund’s Farm Market & Bakery | 324 Norfolk Rd.

Canaan Carnival
6 to 10 p.m.
Bunny McGuire Park

Keep ReadingShow less
When the guide gets it wrong

Rosa setigera is a native climbing rose whose simple flowers allow bees to easily collect pollen.

Dee Salomon

After moving to West Cornwall in 2012, we were given a thoughtful housewarming gift: the 1997 edition of “Dirr’s Hardy Trees and Shrubs.” We were told the encyclopedic volume was the definitive gardener’s reference guide — a fact I already knew, having purchased one several months earlier at the recommendation of a gardener I admire.

At the time, we were in the thick of winter invasive removal, and I enjoyed reading and dreaming about the trees and shrubs I could plant to fill in the bare spots where the bittersweet, barberry, multiflora rose and other invasive plants had been.Years later, I purchased the 2011 edition, updated and inclusive of plants for warm climates.

Keep ReadingShow less
A few highlights from Upstate Art Weekend 2025

Foxtrot Farm & Flowers’ historic barn space during UAW’s 2024 exhibition entitled “Unruly Edges.”

Brian Gersten

Art lovers, mark your calendars. The sixth edition of Upstate Art Weekend (UAW) returns July 17 to 21, with an exciting lineup of exhibitions and events celebrating the cultural vibrancy of the region. Spanning eight counties and over 130 venues, UAW invites residents and visitors alike to explore the Hudson Valley’s thriving creative communities.

Here’s a preview of four must-see exhibitions in the area:

Keep ReadingShow less