Cindy Miller, born Cynthia Jean Oldham, on May 22, 1960, passed away on Friday, January 3, in St. Joseph Hospital, the same hospital where she was born.

Cindy is survived by her significant other, Tom Browning; son, Brandon Canonica; granddaughter, Crystal Canonica; great-granddaughter Audrey Rogers; her dad, Ray Oldham, sisters and their families Victoria Shatwell (Ken) and Debbie Oldham-Auker (Jim), numerous nieces and nephews and lastly, but certainly not least, her fur babies, Ozzy, Yoda and Oreo. She is preceded in death by her mom, Marilyn Oldham, and husbands, Fred Canonica and Don Miller.

Growing up in Eureka, Cindy attended Alice Birney Elementary School, where she played the clarinet and participated in Girl Scouts, Jacobs Jr. High School and Eureka Senior High School. She was a member of the graduating Class of 1978 and enjoyed attending their class reunions. She spent her younger years camping every summer with her family in Southern Humboldt County at French’s Campground, sunbathing on the Eel River, riding a mini bike, square dancing and roasting marshmallows over an open fire. Cindy has remained friends with those whose families also camped at French’s.

Shortly after high school Cindy married and moved to Bamburg, Germany, where her husband was stationed in the Army. Bamburg is where her son, Brandon, was born. While there, they once took a trip, with other Army families to Paris, France. This was in the middle of summer on a bus without air-conditioning … an adventure to say the least. They also got to experienced a traditional German wedding and reception “Prost!” As was Cindy’s style, she remained friends with several of those she met while in Germany.

Cindy was a huge NASCAR fan, Kevin Harvick to be specific. She rarely missed a race on TV. During the season, her weekends were planned around the races. She also enjoyed attending the races at Redwood Acres. Cindy attended different car shows in Northern California/Southern Oregon as a member of the Turd Heads, with her parents. Cindy was helpful with the logistics of putting on Cruz’n Eureka Car Show and the auctions they held that benefited Boys and Girls Club of the Redwoods.

Arts and crafts were her passion She enjoyed it all and was very creative and skilled at her “craft.” She most recently was enjoying painting rocks, hiding them and finding others’ painted rocks others around Humboldt County. She was a member of several rock-painting groups.

Rather than flowers, if you’d like to make a donation on Cindy’s behalf, Hospice of Humboldt, Wounded Warriors, St Jude’s or the Sequoia Humane Society are organizations that had a special meaning to her.

We will have a celebration of life to remember and honor Cindy in May, around her birthday.