Cynthia "Cyndee" M. Barnhard

Cynthia Marie Barnhard entered the Church Triumphant on July 8, 2023. She was born on January 8, 1951, to Kenyon and Alice Caldwell, in Vermillion, South Dakota. She was baptized and confirmed as a Methodist in her youth.

Cyndee graduated from Burke High School in 1969. She attended Kearney State College for two years where she met her future husband, Frederick. On August 14th, 1971, Cyndee was united in marriage to Frederick E. Barnhard at St. Luke’s Methodist church in Omaha. Their marriage has been blessed with her “three little angels”: Amy, Angela, and Alyssa. After getting married, Cyndee transferred to the University of Nebraska Omaha, where she earned a bachelor's degree to teach students K-12 in Nebraska. Cyndee taught and served the children in Omaha Public Schools for 22 years. Later in her career, she earned a Master’s Degree as a reading specialist. Her job as a reading specialist brought her great joy as she unlocked the pathways to literacy for countless children.

Cyndee strived to live out her faith with a life of service to her Lord. For many years Fred and Cyndee were faithful members of Westminster Presbyterian church in Omaha. She served by being the Choir Director, a VBS volunteer, Sunday School Teacher, active in bible study groups, The Mariners, Mariners Cruises, leadership roles locally and nationally in Mariners. A true joy for Fred and Cyndee was to make music with their daughters in a group known as the Barnhard Family Singers. They sang for church functions, services, ice cream socials, nursing homes, and other special events.

When Fred and Cyndee’s daughter, Angela, married Mark in 2004, they moved their church membership to St. John’s Lutheran in Bennington. At St. John’s Lutheran, Cyndee served as a choir and praise band member, founding member of the Kid’s Kingdom Preschool, bible study participant, VBS volunteer, as a member of the CFC, and the Barnhard Family singers continued to sing with the addition of a tenor. Fred and Cyndee have lived in Bennington on Willow Circle for the last 6 years.

Cyndee developed a passion to travel from her mother, Alice. During the 1990’s Cyndee became an active chaperone for a student ambassador group called People to People. This group allowed Cyndee to travel to places like Australia, France and Germany. She served God by going on many mission trips with her family to places like Romania, Mexico, Mississippi, Louisiana and Joplin, Missouri. She also traveled with family and friends to the boundary waters, Kentucky, the Grand Canyon, Montana, Mount Rushmore, and Italy.

Cyndee was preceded in death by her parents, Kenyon and Alice Caldwell. She is survived by her husband Fred; by children, Amy, Angela (Mark) Sukraw, and Alyssa; grandchildren, Katherine, Elijah, Hanna, and Anika Sukraw and Kenyon and Kaleb Barnhard; by many foster children through the years; by her brothers Richard (Donna) Caldwell of Omaha and Gregory Caldwell of Bellevue; and by many other extend family members.

Memorial Service will be at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, July 15th, at St. John's Lutheran Church in Bennington. Interment at German Cemetery in Washington County, NE.  

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Kids Kingdom Preschool at St. John's Lutheran Church.