Cynthia Stone Obituary

Stone, Cynthia Anne
March 20, 1957 - September 7, 2023

Cynthia lived with spirit and energy. She worked passionately, tirelessly, and with determination for what she believed in - women's rights and equality; the arts; giving voice to victims of rape and gun violence; and for progressive causes. Cynthia spent decades leading Communications for non-profits including SAFE (Sane Alternatives to the Firearms Epidemic) Colorado and its post-Columbine ballot initiative to close the gun show loophole; the Rocky Mountain Women's Institute; Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault; and for the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD). As a spokesperson, she did thousands of interviews for media from all over the world. She also spent 20 years in TV and video, producing and running a camera. When asked about her career, she said "it was very non-linear." She wasn't afraid of big challenges – like the SCFD's huge 10th Anniversary Celebration that she conceived and lead in which more than 175 cultural events were presented free to the public in one weekend.; independently producing and writing videos in Spanish, a language she didn't even speak; and standing up against pro-gun extremists that made the NRA look like your sweet grandma. An attorney hired her to work on a precedent-setting AIDS discrimination case in Federal court, even though she had no legal training. She co-curated RMWI's 20 year retrospective at the Arvada Center with more than 125 pieces of art and multiple presentations by women performers, writers and scholars. A boss once said of her, "if Cynthia says she can do it, she can." She was recognized as a "Woman of Achievement " by the Association of Women in Communications. She was given a "Mile High Trailblazer" award by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. She was given a couple of Westwood "Best of Denver" awards. Her independently produced videos won national awards. Cynthia was only 5'2" but she "acts a lot taller" a SWAT member once said while guarding her. Jim Brady of Handgun Control; and Tom Mauser, whose son was killed at Columbine, from pro-gun fanatics. Cynthia worked hard, but she also played hard. She loved to cook and share her culinary experiments, most of which were pretty good, by hosting dinner parties and brunches for friends. She loved contemporary art and had spent many a Friday night at gallery openings, a glass of wine in hand. Her home was filled with the work of local artists, a lot of it gifts from artist friends. Cynthia loved music – everything from Opera to Punk. She had been known to start her evening at the Symphony with friends, all dressed in their finest 1940's thrift store finds, and end it with dancing to disco at a gay club. She read everything from novels to newspapers to cereal boxes. She collected unusual dictionaries, including one on the "F" word, which she was known to say now and again. In her youth, she loved hiking and backpacking in the mountains. And once, by accident, did Black Bear Pass in her 4-W drive without rolling it. Cynthia could have been a crazy cat lady if it wasn't for her own rule –"never have more cats than you have hands." "Arrived in a presidential motorcade, hitchhiked home," was Cynthia's Six-Word memoir. (A True Story. She was invited by the White House to ride in President Clinton's motorcade to an event, but had to make her own way back because the president was heading to the airport afterwards.) She said that was the essence of her life in just one day – riding high one moment, scrambling the next. She had been a volunteer most of her life, starting as a Candy Striper – wearing a little pink and white striped nurse's hat – at the VA hospital when she was just 14 years old. She volunteered for Channel 12 before and after being employed there including creating "Art on Teletunes" in which artists created T.V. sets. As a board member of the Denver Art Museum's Alliance for Contemporary Art she was co-chair for the year-long celebration of their 25th Anniversary. Cynthia helped individual artists with promoting their work and grant writing. She volunteered on various political campaigns, for Democrats of course. She created and co-organized the Alternative Arts Alliance's Open Studio Weekend. She was also on the board of the Colorado Housing Counseling Coalition and volunteered for many other organizations. If you asked for her help, you got it. For almost 20 years, Cynthia fought a hard, painful battle with Rheumatoid Arthritis. And although it had destroyed her body, she kept her 'little gay cells' active. After she was unable to work she volunteered, when her condition allowed, with the Arthritis Foundation; the Chronic Care Collaborative lobbying at the State Capitol; and as a board member of Denver Health's Community Health Services, all to help others with chronic diseases have a better life. Cynthia was fiercely independent and hated being a burden on anyone. But because of the RA, she was faced with amputation of her feet, being paralyzed because of her back and had endured almost 20 years of increasingly debilitating pain. So she decided it was time.

Cynthia was preceded in death by her Father Franklin P. Stone II, mother Peggy Rae Stone, little brother Douglas Marc Stone, and 11 kitties (not all at once). She is survived by brother Franklin P. Stone III (VA), dear friend Bob Nelson, and sweet Pekoe.