Cynthia Valantine

Cynthia "Cindy" Richards Foote Valantine was born January 9, 1957, the oldest of twin girls in Salt Lake City, Utah to Gerald Dean and Winnie Richards. Soon the small family moved to Shelly, Idaho. Cindy and Sandy, as they were known were soon joined by sisters Julie and then Kristi. The couple divorced and Winnie took the girls to live with her father in Moab, Utah. There she met and married Garvin Uzel Foote and the family was joined by another girl, Marilee. The family moved to Lake Point, Utah and Pima, Arizona before returning to Moab.

Cindy graduated from Moab High School and attended Snow College where she met Mark Valantine. She waited for him as he went on an LDS mission to Brazil. Cindy went to live with Mark’s family in La Crescenta, California. Mark returned and the couple married and moved to Oxnard, California where Mark co-owned an auto repair shop. They had 5 children: Joshua, Emilee, Sara, Jonathon, and Jared. The family lived in Oxnard until they sold the business and moved to Las Vegas, Nevada and finally West Jordan, Utah. There Cindy worked as a teacher’s aide for a special needs class. The couple divorced and Cindy moved to Payson, Utah and then Taylorsville, Utah.

Cindy escaped the burdens of her physical body and returned to her Heavenly Father on November 29, 2025. She left behind her sisters and brothers in laws: Sandra (Larry) Snyder, Julie Blaisdell, Kristi Foote, and Marilee (Nate) Forrester. Also, her children: Joshua Valantine, Emilee (Adam) Bond, Sara (JT) Parker, and Jared (Candace) Valantine. As well as her beloved grandkids: Brittnee and Brennon Bond, Shayla and Barrett Parker, and Silas and Esme Valantine. She was preceded in death by her parents, Winnie Mae Day and Gerald Dean Richards, and son, Jonathon Valantine.

Cindy would describe herself as a mother first and a teacher second. Her eldest son was diagnosed with autism and Cindy was a pioneer for the Autistic Society working hard to understand a condition that was rare at the time. Cindy loved her family most of all and they are blessed to have known her. She also loved Girl Scout cookies and Hallmark Movies.

There will be a graveside service held at the old Moab Cemetery, 877 East Sandflat Rd, in Moab, Utah on Friday December 5, 2025. The viewing is at 10:30 am with the service following at 11:00 am. There will be a family luncheon after the service at the LDS church on 701 Locust Lane.