Cynthia Rafferty

Cynthia (Turner) Rafferty lost her struggle with life on August 31, 2021.  After years of battling, she finally succumbed to a calling for peace that she did not feel she could find here on this earth.  Cindy left us far too soon, but she can now be reunited in Heaven with her father, Richard Turner and her brother Glen Turner.

Cindy was born in Worcester and grew up in Millbury where she attended Millbury High School as a stand-out athlete and student.  She later graduated from Quinsigamond Community College Nursing Program as one of the top five in her graduating class.

Cindy married Timothy Rafferty on May 27, 1990.  She was then given the three most important gifts in her life: her sons Timothy, II., and Sean (Seannie Buckets), and beloved daughter, Christy.  Cindy embodied the meaning of love and caring by living first as a “Mom.”  She was the type of mother who could be found jumping on the trampoline with her kids, attending all their games, cooking for their friends and teammates-that was her greatest joy.  Most recently, the high point of her life was her son Timothy’s wedding to the love of his life, Michelle.  She couldn’t wait for the next step, grandchildren, they would have been lucky to know her.

“Auntie Cindy” was universally loved by all her nieces and nephews.  She is known as the aunt that made them all wear sunscreen, drink all their milk (which was served with every dinner), have “one more bite,” and drink tea with your “pinky up” during tea parties with her nieces.  Cindy was especially close to her nephew, Travis Rafferty, whom she thought of as her son. Travis spent many days with Cindy and Tim and their family, enjoying the small things in life like mac and cheese, dance parties, and having the opportunity to explore the world with his cousins Tim, Christy, and Sean.

Cynthia Rafferty proved every day that she cared by doing things that just came naturally to her.  When her sister-in-law Kathleen Rafferty was dying of breast cancer, it was Cindy that showed up to care for her.  When her father-in-law, “Grampa Rafferty” was sick, it was only his “Sydney” that was allowed to care for him in the most personal way.  Most importantly, Cindy was a loving and devoted daughter to her mother.  She always spoke of how grateful she was for all that her mother had given her and she always tried to give back to her in-kind.

Her compassion for people extended beyond her family.  She loved working as a nurse at Care One in Millbury where she touched the lives of many people, including patients, families, and co-workers.  She lovingly made and shared “friendship” and “healing” bracelets with so many friends and family members.  She was a member of Life Song Church in Sutton, where she was active in leading their healing group, as a greeter, and as a child-care provider.  She loved being surrounded by her family and friends and was always happy to add new photos and birthdates to “Auntie Cindy’s Wall” in her kitchen.  She enjoyed Cape Cod and family vacations.

Cindy struggled for many years with the painful, lingering effects of Lyme disease.  She had fought her way back so many times from the ever present physical pain and frustrating nerve damage and she embraced many periods of recovery where she would lovingly reconnect with her beloved family and her church. She will be remembered and missed always for her beautiful smile and her kind and gentle soul.

Cindy is survived by a family that loved her immensely, including her loving husband of thirty-one years, Timothy M. Rafferty of Sutton; their three children, Timothy M. Rafferty II, and his wife Michelle of Worcester, Christy A. Rafferty of Delray Beach, FL, and Corporal Sean P. Rafferty, USMC stationed at Twenty-Nine Palms, CA; her mother and step-father, Mary (Boire) Gallagher and her husband William of North Port, Florida; two sisters, Vicki Turner and Pamela Turner, both of Florida; many nieces and nephews including, Travis Rafferty, who she thought of as her son.  Cindy is also survived by her mother-in-law, Joanne (Charest) Rafferty; sisters and brothers in law, Lynn Stover of Millbury, Dr. Theresa Rafferty and her husband Michael Hall of Worcester, Christine Morway-Rafferty and Mark Mercandante of Webster, Richard J. Rafferty Jr and his wife Jeanne of Northborough, and Steven Trottier and his wife Maureen of Millbury; an uncle and aunt David and Judy Turner of Millbury; along with many cousins and friends. She was predeceased by her father, Richard W. Turner, father-in-law, Richard Rafferty, Sr., her sister-in-law, Kathleen Rafferty-Mooney and her brother, Glen D. Turner.

Calling hours will be on Tuesday, September 7 from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. in MERCADANTE FUNERAL HOME & CHAPEL, 370 Plantation Street, Worcester.  Her funeral mass will be on Wednesday, September 8 at 10:30 a.m. in Saint John’s Church, 40 Temple Street, Worcester (please go directly to church).  Interment at Saint John’s Cemetery will be held privately.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to the Lyme Disease Foundation at www.lyme.org.