Obituary of Cynthia Lindquist

Cynthia Anne Stuard Lindquist 63, passed away on March 16, 2011 after a sudden illness. Cynthia was a loving and dedicated mother, grandmother, daughter and sister. A Memorial Service is scheduled for Sunday, April 10, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. at Tohono Chul Park, Wilson Room, 7366 N. Paseo del Norte, Tucson, officiated by Tim Tam. A reception will follow. Cynthia was born on June 27, 1947 in Tucson, AZ to Norman and Esther Stuard. She graduated from Rincon High School and the University of Arizona. As a graduate student, she attended the University of Arizona where she completed her doctorate in Arid Lands Resource Sciences. She was an avid volunteer, a caring educator, and a lover of the outdoors. She was an active member of the Audubon Society, employed by The University of Arizona and oversaw agricultural economic development projects in Mexico. An expert in the study of semi-tropical Sonora, she made many contributions to her field. She led expeditions for collecting plants organized by the late Paul S. Martin and studied plants of the Rio Mayo region in the state of Sonora, Mexico in addition to writing her dissertation on the Rio Mayo. Her interests included ethnobotany, human impacts on biodiversity, and the potential for sustainable development in Mexico. She also conducted research on packrat middens in Nevada, Mexico, Jordan and Chile. Cynthia traveled frequently to Sonora, Mexico and Baja, California. Her volunteer and board member involvement extended to various non-profits including La Pilita, a historical site and museum in Tucson, the International Center for the Study of Deserts and Oceans (CEDO), and Tucson Audubon Society. She was preceded in death by her father, Norman D. Stuard,Sr. and brother, Norman D. Stuard, Jr. Cynthia is survived by her three daughters, Heather Lindquist of Tucson, AZ, Caitlin Lindquist of Denver, CO and Anne Marie Lindquist of Chicago, IL; her grandson, Bodhi of Tucson, AZ; her mother, Esther Stuard of Tucson, AZ; her sister, Lisa Tam (Tim) of Amarillo, TX, and many dear friends. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to any of the aforementioned non-profits In memory of Cynthia A. Lindquist.