Cynthia Lou Phillips

Cynthia “Cindy” Phillips

Cynthia “Cindy” Lou Phillips, 69, of Piedmont, went to be with the Lord on her birthday, Thursday, February 19, 2026 at WVU Ruby Memorial Hospital.

Born on February 19, 1957 in Keyser, she was the daughter of the late Edward Louis “Lou” and Dorothy Jean (Saville) Sanders.  She was a member of Grace United Methodist Church.  Surviving are her husband, David O. Phillips, her children, Katrina Powers of Morgantown and David O. Phillips, Jr. of Oregon; her grandchildren, Donovan Powers, Alessandre Powers of Morgantown, Dayton, Dominic and Jada Phillips; her brothers, Mitchell Sanders and wife Kim of Keyser, William "Bill" Sanders of Frederick and Andy Sanders of Keyser and her sister, Pamela Rose Smith and husband Ed of  Romney.

To know my mom Cindy was to know love in its purest form. Every single person Katrina has spoken to since she passed has said the same thing, “what a wonderful, kindhearted woman she was. She would do absolutely anything for you and expect nothing in return”. I know that better than anyone.  From the day she and Dad brought me home, she fought for me. She advocated for me. She believed in me, fiercely and without condition. There was not a single day of my life that she did not encourage me. from telling me how beautiful my handwritten “A’s” were when I was first learning to write, to reminding me that there wasn’t a single thing in this world I couldn’t do if I decided to do it.

Cindy was a former aide at Clary Street Learning Center in Keyser.  She was only able to have one child, but her heart was far too big to love only one. She opened her home to foster children and gave them something many of them had never known unconditional love from a mother simply because they existed.

When she became a grandmother, she loved Donovan and Alessandre just as fiercely as if they were her own children. In fact, on her last day here, when the doctors asked if she had any children and who they were, she said my name of course and without hesitation followed it with Donovan and Alessandre. That was her heart. There was no separation.

Cindy made every holiday come alive, but Christmas was her masterpiece. Every December felt like stepping into another world. Every room decorated from top to bottom. The living room filled with her beloved Santa. But the real magic wasn’t the decorations. It was her.  On Christmas mornings, there would be sparkling “snow” dusted on the trees and presents that appeared just for Christmas Day so I would know Santa had come. It wasn’t until I was older that I realized it was never the gifts or the festivities that made Christmas special. Our mom Cindy was Christmas and was the magic.

Cindy was strong, stronger than I ever truly understood until her final day. She was not afraid of death. She was only saddened by having to leave the people she loved and by the pain it would cause them. Even in her final hours, her concern was for everyone else. She waited. She held on. She made sure every person she loved had the chance to be there so she could tell them she loved them and so they could tell her goodbye. That strength was extraordinary.  As I read passages from the Bible to her, she spoke about “going home,” excited to see her parents again Grandma and Pap. There was peace in her voice. There was courage in her heart. I can only hope that when it is my time, I am even half as brave and ready as she was and that I get to see her again.

When I was little, she sang “You Are My Sunshine” to me almost every night as she tucked me into bed.  Now, every sunrise and every sunset will carry her with it. Because she was my sunshine too.

Family and friends will be received at the Markwood Funeral Home, Keyser on Tuesday, February 24, 2026 from 4-5pm.   Funeral Services will follow the visitation at 5pm with the Reverend John Langenstein officiating.  Interment will be at a later date in Queens Point Cemetery, Keyser.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Cynthia Lou Phillips, please visit our floral store.