Cynthia Kaye Huegen

Cynthia Kaye Huegen, nee Smith, of O’Fallon, IL, formerly of Trenton, IL, passed away peacefully Monday, February 10, 2020, at HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in O’Fallon, IL. She was 67.

Cynthia is survived by her husband, Dale, her daughter Sarah (Brent) Cardillo, her son Neil (Jennifer) Huegen, and her three adoring grandchildren, Stella Cardillo and Nolan and Langston Huegen. She is also survived by her sisters; Bonnie (Luther) Kinley, Marilyn (Hugh) Durham, Dorothy (Ron) Thompson, and Carolyn (John) Grant, and many nieces, nephews, in laws and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Opal (Tolbert) and Ernest Smith, two sisters; Alma (Horace) Grant and Patsy (Charles) Anderson, and two brothers, Laverne Smith and Herbert (Margaret) Smith.

Cynthia was born June 4, 1952, in Johnston City Illinois, graduated from Johnston City High School in 1970, and received her bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, where she met Dale, and they married September 2nd, 1972. She also received her master’s degree from SIU Edwardsville and spent the majority of her career as an English teacher and English department chair at Mater Dei High School in Breese, where she was also named Educator of the Year. She and Dale made their home in Trenton for almost 40 years, where she was a Eucharistic minister at St Mary’s Parish.
Family was everything to Cynthia. She was the youngest of nine children; seven girls and two boys. She loved attending the Smith family reunion every Labor Day weekend and was proud that the reunion was born of her and Dale’s marriage. Until her illness made her too weak to travel, she never missed a reunion. In her retirement, she devoted herself to spending time with her grandchildren, who will miss their grandma dearly.

Visitation will be held at St. Bernard Catholic Church in Albers on Friday, February 14, 2020 from 8:30 a.m. until 10:45 a.m.

Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, February 14, 2020 at St. Bernard Catholic Church in Albers with Rev. Anthony Onyango officiating.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make donations in Cynthia’s name to Mater Dei Catholic High School and they will be received at the church or Nordike Funeral Home, 15 E. Hanover St., New Baden, IL 62265 who is serving the family.