Miss Cindy

Cynthia Lee Pressley, 76, of Murphy passed away Thursday, June 22, 2023 at her residence. She was born in Athens, Georgia on August 6, 1946 to the late Curtis and Bonnie Nell Boydston Mease.

She moved to Canton, North Carolina with her family at a young age. Cindy began working in drug and alcohol treatment at Julian F. Keith Alcohol & Drug Abuse Treatment Center in Black Mountain, North Carolina, where she continued to work until retirement.

Cindy moved to Murphy in 2015 to be closer to her family.

She believed in going to the gym daily. Cindy also framed pictures professionally following retirement.

Cindy cherished her family and her faith.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her second husband, Forrest Messer.

Surviving are a son, Matthew Pressley and wife, Tipper of Brasstown; two grandchildren, Katie Pressley of Brasstown and Corie Graddick and husband, Austin of Murphy; the father of their son, Tony Pressley and wife, Janet of Canton, North Carolina; a sister, Carol Haley and husband, Ron Haley of Canton, North Carolina; beloved in-laws, The Wilson Family; and several nephews.

A graveside service will be held at 11:00 am Monday, June 26, 2023 at New Martins Creek Baptist Church Cemetery with Pastor Chris Matheson officiating. Music will be provided by Paul Wilson. Pallbearers will be Austin Graddick, Ben Wilson, Mark Wilson, Tony Pressley, Steve Wilson, and Nick Messer.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made in memory of Cynthia Lee Pressley to the New Martins Creek Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, c/o Steve Wilson, 560 Wilson Road, Brasstown, NC 28902.

Ivie Funeral Home, Murphy in charge of all arrangements.


If you’d like to add a comment to the online registry for Miss Cindy’s service you can visit this page.

Your kind, thoughtful, and loving comments and emails yesterday really sustained our family and we thank you!

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55 Comments

  1. Tipper. Matt, Pressley girls,

    My deepest heart felt and prayers for all of you.
    Prayers for Strength and Faith during this difficult time. Hilary

  2. May God comfort all the family and friends of Cynthia Lee Pressley, by seeing, with the eyes of faith, her everlasting joy, even now, at Home. In heaven, the circle is unbroken. Here, it is broken, for a time. The heavenly reunion awaits us, to join when it’s our turn. The spiritual and Christian legacy of Cynthia Lee Pressley continues in her family and friends, who honor her by living as she did, by assured faith.

  3. Matt & Tipper and family, I am so sorry for your loss am praying for y’all. Ms Cindy was a very lovely lady. Surely she has touched a lot of people during her lifetime and was a big blessing to a lot of people.

  4. Miss Cindy’s legacy lives on in her family and all the lives she touched. Now she intercedes for us until we are united in our Lord’s presence.
    I pray strength, peace, rest and grace for the entire family.
    Blessings

  5. So sorry for your family’s loss. I am sure Heaven gained a Beautiful Angel. Prayers for Strength & Faith, for all of you. Betty, Pat & Quincy

  6. I’m so sorry for your loss my heart goes out to you all I know it is going to be very hard and the only reason I say this is because I have loss my Daddy and Mommy and my dear sweet husband. Sending love and prayers to each of you and may God bless you all

  7. It seems sad to see her go until you think about where she has gone! Imagine she has gone on a cruise where everything is available has been paid for in advance.

  8. Pressley Family,
    My deepest heart felt thoughts and prayers are with each and every one of you during this most difficult time. Lord, wrap them in your loving arms, please.

  9. What a sweet obituary honoring Miss Cindy’s life. I remember seeing Miss Cindy on a video sharing a recipe that I think Tipper made some time back. I remember she was soft spoken, graceful and one could have been mistaken her for a movie star from years gone by from her poise and beauty. I remember Tipper mentioning Miss Cindy in several of her videos and one she talked about the delicious ham Miss Cindy made for Matt’s birthday dinner that the entire family loved. Miss Cindy struck me as a private person, not wanting to be in the public eye, so I’m guessing that’s why we didn’t see more of her in their videos like we do Granny. Miss Cindy did make some very wise, insightful and at times humorous comments on this blog (Blind Pig and the Acorn). Miss Cindy did seem to be very close to the all her family and loved them dearly. I know her love was returned by her family because you could hear it in their voices when Tipper and the girls spoke of Miss Cindy. I know Matt, Tipper, the girls, Granny and all Miss Cindy’s family and friends will miss her earthly presence very much. This is not a finial goodbye, but see you later in our heavenly home.

  10. What a beautiful lady and the beauty went far beyond her appearance. I know she was a blessing to all of you and will be missed by many. Along with prayers to Matt and the family, please let Granny know we are saying a special prayer for her because she has lost a good friend. God bless all of you as you continue to get through the coming days.

  11. I pray God wraps his arms around each and everyone of you and comforts you. We’re going to miss her a great deal but she no longer in pain and Heaven gain an angel . Prayers continue for you all. So deeply sorry. for your loss.

  12. Miss Cindy was a beautiful lady – inside and out. I have so enjoyed reading her posts here over the years. Learning more of her background confirms that she was a loving, giving woman who will be greatly missed by so many. May the Lord’s love and that of family and friends help to sustain you in these days and all of those to come. Hugs to you all.

  13. Oh my, what a beautiful portrait! ….may it bring you comfort in knowing, the Lord knew, and nothing we can do is gonna add even one minute to our lives here on this earth…. He knew and she is by His side, HALLELUJAH!

  14. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family, Tipper, and all of Miss Cindy’s relatives and friends. I am so glad her passing was quick and not drawn out. I have had two cancers, and on my third so I know all the misery of that evil disease. She was blessed to have her family take such good care of her. May God bless you all!

  15. Glory to God that another of his children returned to him. How beautiful she was and how fortunate you all have been to experience her love. Blessings to you all. Peace to you all.

  16. So very sorry for the loss you all are experiencing but very happy for sweet Miss Cindy who is now rejoicing with our Lord

  17. My deepest sympathy and prayers go up for your family on the loss of Miss Cindy. I always enjoyed reading her comments on your blog as she was so proud and supportive of all the work you all accomplished. I’m missing my Mother so much now and she has been happily abiding in heaven since 2005. We never get over missing them, but Miss Cindy has been restored and has been hugged by Jesus as she entered heaven.

    1. Dee, I have no words to explain this, but from my experience every time a loved one dies it leaves a hole in your heart that seems to get bigger each time one of your love ones die. I think most of us hurt and grieve for this people the rest of our lives, your learn to live with it but you never truly get over. We know that for the ones that were Christians, are now in heaven rejoicing. It’s the ones they leave behind that are suffering. My preacher recently preached about wondering why things happen to good people and feeling down or depressed. He made this statement, “No matter how strong your faith is there are going to be times when you are depressed and will feel like God is not around”. He also said God knows this and understands. Something dies in you too, and this hole never heals. My daughter and wife’s death have destroyed my heart and any will power I had for going on, but at the same I know I have too.

  18. moms and grandmas are very special – i pray for your peace and comfort.
    i will be remembering you at the funeral service time!
    with love and prayers,

  19. That’s a lovely tribute to Miss Cindy. I hope it gives you all some comfort in knowing you were there for her every step of the way through this, giving her love and support on her journey home. Love and prayers to your family.

  20. You should see all of heaven rejoicing! They are so glad she is up there with them! I am sure my Mom is up there celebrating too!❤
    Matthew 25:23
    “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. COME AND SHARE your master’s happiness!”

  21. Miss Cindy was beautiful and it seems from what I read, chose to devote her life to helping others by working in drug and alcohol rehab. I will be praying for all of her family today and in the dark days to come, I know she will be missed. She was a blessing to her family and at the same time her family was a blessing to her.

    I feel like some did not understand my comment yesterday about me getting mad or upset. I was trying to say for me when I was hurting so bad after my daughter and wife’s death. It hurt me when well meaning people would tell me it was a blessing they had passed and were no longer suffering. I wanted to ask them if they would be feeling the same way if it was their daughter or wife. It was wrong for me to feel this way. I know for most of us, including me, words are all we have to try to help ease the pain and comfort the family.

  22. I am so sorry for your loss……..I have been thinking or you all and pray for your strength and guidance from above.

  23. We will continue to pray for your family during this time of loss and grief. May God wrap you all in His arms of comfort and give you His sweet and abiding peace. We will certainly miss Miss Cindy’s words of wisdom seasoned with grace that she added to your blog each day. We always looked forward to reading her comments. God bless you all.

  24. You all were so very blessed to have had this lady as a part of your lives. I read her posts through the years, and her posts were always so interesting. I recall her mentioning how pleased she was with you, Tipper. She was a such a bright and witty lady. Bless your family, and my heart sure went out to those two sweet girls, as they shared updates on their grandma. We look at life through human eyes, but everything is managed by our Lord. She is safely in his loving care.

  25. Matt, Tipper and family, my deepest sympathy to you all in the loss of Miss Cindy. Such a beautiful lady with a beautiful soul. Although it is so hard to say goodbye to our loved ones here on earth, you can rejoice in knowing she is with her precious Savior. She now knows what you can never know until you join her in Heaven.

  26. What a beautiful lady Miss Cindy was- both physically and in her heart! She must have helped plenty folks get sobered up and off sauce. There’s not much I can say except I am so very sorry for your great loss. There is certainly a lot about her you will miss. May she find rest and never ending joy with her loved ones who have been waiting on her to get back home in heaven where she will see Jesus every day!!! Isn’t that something to think about? No eye has seen or ear has heard what is in heaven, but our place is prepared and how wonderful it must be!!! Many prayers are with you and thoughts to get through this difficult and earthly sad time. May God be with you all.

  27. Her battle is over.
    “Behold, I sent an angel before you to guard you on the way and bring you to the place that I have prepared”
    Exodus 23:20 ESV

  28. , God bless you Tipper God bless Matt God bless your family with the peace of Jesus with strength to endure in Jesus name

    1. Safe in the Arms of Jesus,
      Safe on His gentle breast,
      There by His love o’ershaded,
      Sweetly my soul shall rest.
      Miss Cindy is with the Savior and I pray that God will give you comfort and Peace!

  29. Me heart weeps with yours for your earthly loss while my spirit rejoices with the angels for Heavens gain.
    This poem gave me peace at when I lost my father last year. I hope you like it.

    Christus Consolator

    Beside the dead I knelt for prayer,
    And felt a presence as I prayed.
    Lo! it was Jesus standing there.
    He smiled: “Be not afraid!”

    “Lord, Thou hast conquered death we know;
    Restore again to life,” I said,
    “This one who died an hour ago.”
    He smiled: “She is not dead!”

    “Asleep then, as thyself didst say;
    Yet thou canst lift the lids that keep
    Her prisoned eyes from ours away!”
    He smiled: “She doth not sleep!”

    “Nay then, tho’ haply she do wake,
    And look upon some fairer dawn,
    Restore her to our hearts that ache!”
    He smiled: “She is not gone!”

    “Alas! too well we know our loss,
    Nor hope again our joy to touch,
    Until the stream of death we cross.”
    He smiled: “There is no such!”

    “Yet our beloved seem so far,
    The while we yearn to feel them near,
    Albeit with Thee we trust they are.”
    He smiled: “And I am here!”

    “Dear Lord, how shall we know that they
    Still walk unseen with us and Thee,
    Nor sleep, nor wander far away?”
    He smiled: “Abide in Me!”

    — Rossiter Worthington Raymond (1840-1918)

  30. A beautiful woman in every aspect of this life now resides in the arms of her Lord and Savior. God bless her memory and God bless the Pressley and extended families.

  31. The same age as my mama, sixteen years ago. There is no one like a precious mama. She was a beautiful lady.
    Praying for your family.

  32. Prayers for the family. Am sure she helped a lot of people…I too worked in rehab for a long time..

  33. May God’s loving comfort and peace surround your whole family at this time. Miss Cindy was a beautiful woman and her life has touched and helped many people as I read in your post. She and I were born in the same year and that high school picture brought me right back to my time in high school.

  34. I am so sorry for you loss. A beautiful young lady. Heaven has gained another sole. God Bless

  35. Matt, Tipper and family, We are continuing to pray for y’all. My heart goes out to you. Y’all feel so much like family. God be with you and give you comfort and peace.

  36. What a beautiful tribute to her life . Thank you for sharing this. She is is the Lord and left a wonderful legacy. God bless your family during this time of grieving and also celebrating her life. You have been and continue to be in my prayers daily.

  37. I am very sorry for the loss of your beloved Miss Pressley. She was blessed to have such a loving and devoted family like yours.

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