THERE wasn’t as dry eye in the house when family and friends gathered at the Raven Inn to celebrate the life of Cindy Sturman.
While I only had the honour of meeting this remarkable woman once briefly, I worked closely with her husband Peter throughout the campaign to save the Raven Inn and then transform it into a community pub at the heart of the community.
Cindy supported Peter and the team with their endeavours, but little did I know about her life which unfolded during the special event in her memory.
Bravely battling with Parkinsons Disease for nearly three decades, Cindy over came adversity and lived life to the full after the heartbreak of giving up her baby daughter for adoption as a teenager, later going through a divorce before meeting her true love Peter and eventually being re-united with her daughter.
As I reflected on her remarkable story, which brought me and others at the event to tears, it made realise what a remarkable woman Cindy was and what a great role model for living life to the full in the face of adversity.
It was also lovely to see many familiar faces in the community coming together to show their respects and support for Peter and their family as Cindy’s story was expertly articulated by well-known local Cllr, Paul Campbell.
I have no doubt Cindy will be sadly missed by her family and friends – but her memory and legacy will live on – none more so than in the Raven Inn, which along with husband Peter and many others in the community, she helped save for future generations to enjoy.
