Cynthia Sharpe Malkin

Cynthia Sharpe Malkin died on August 27, 2019, one week shy of her 74th birthday. Cindy was born in Jamestown, NY to Doris Fess Sharpe and Clement Sharpe. After growing up in West Hartford, Connecticut and attending Conard High School, Cindy attended Skidmore College, where she received her nursing degree. She eventually received her master’s degree in psychiatric nursing at Virginia Commonwealth University. While working at Bellevue Hospital in New York City, she met the love of her life, Rick Malkin, who was in medical school at the time. The two would end up spending the rest of their lives together and celebrated their 51st wedding anniversary shortly before Cindy’s passing. After time in Boston, Plattsburgh NY, and Richmond VA, Cindy and Rick settled in Sarasota, Florida in 1974, where they raised two boys, Robert and Jonathan. For the last 20 years, Cindy and Rick spent summers in Lenox, Massachusetts, allowing Cindy to return to her beloved New England for extended periods. Cindy dedicated her working life to improving the communities in which she lived and worked tirelessly on behalf of women, children, elders, and those in need. Her volunteer and community activities are too numerous to name. Among others, she served as President of the Junior League of Sarasota, Planned Parenthood of Sarasota County, the Women’s Resource Center, Easter Seals of Sarasota County, and was a member of the board of the Selby Foundation, Florida Center for Early Childhood and Plymouth Harbor. Cindy and Rick traveled the world together, including an annual trip with their sons, daughters in law and grandsons to a different location each year, a tradition that lasted seventeen years. Cindy was enamored with her grandsons and relished her role as a grandmother. She was also an avid tennis and golf player, and she loved to play both sports with her grandsons. Cindy is survived by her husband Rick; her son Robert, daughter in law Angela and their three boys Jared (21), Evan (18), and Noah (14) of Wayland, Massachusetts; and her son Jonathan, daughter in law Elizabeth and their three boys Nathan (15), Gabriel (13), and Richard (6) of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In addition she is survived by her sister, Marilyn Sharpe, her brother in law, Kent Wall and by Melanie Kotova who became family to Cindy and was there for her to the end. There are many, many more people who would say that Cindy treated them like family, often helping them through their most difficult times. She will be sorely missed by all. A celebration of life will be held in Sarasota at the Field Club on October 13 from 2:30 - 5:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Women’s Resource Center, 340 S. Tuttle, Sarasota, FL 34237 or the Florida Center for Early Childhood, 4620 17th St., Sarasota, FL 34235, or to another charity that is dedicated to making the world a kinder and gentler place for children and those who are unable to advocate for themselves.

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Cynthia Sharpe Malkin

August 27, 2019