Champion for children and local community leader, Cynthia Simmons Gage, whose joyful and caring nature was adored by many, died of complications from cancer on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, surrounded by her husband and two children. She was 70 years old.
She was born October 31, 1952 to the late Franklin and Mildred (Wolters) Simmons in Corsicana, TX, grew up in Wortham, TX and graduated from Wortham High School in 1971. She went on to receive her bachelor’s degree in English from Baylor University in 1975 and later her master’s in Psychology from University of Texas at Tyler.
After graduating Baylor, she lived in Dallas and worked for the Air Force recruiting office and later as an investigator for ATF before returning to Freestone County to marry Robert Wayne Gage on September 2, 1978 at the Presbyterian Church of Wortham, TX. They lived together in Teague until they moved to Richland Chambers Reservoir in 2004.
Cynthia dedicated decades of her life to the love and support of kids and teens, as a teacher then counselor for Teague and Fairfield ISD, where she poured her caring and generous spirit into her work with thousands of children for 20 years as school counselor until her retirement in 2008.
After retirement, her dedication to supporting abused and neglected children continued through years of service on the Child Protective Services (CPS) Advisory Board in Freestone County and then her time as a volunteer for Voices for Children as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA). As a founding director of the new Bi-Stone CASA, she was instrumental in laying the groundwork for the local organization. She was appointed to the founding Board of Directors in September 2022 and was actively involved during her illness.
Cynthia grew up in the Presbyterian Church, and joined the United Methodist Church in 1985. She lived by her faith and served as a leader in each of her church homes. Most recently, she was a Lay Leader and Stephen’s minister at her beloved Lakeside United Methodist Church. She started the Children’s Sunday School program there and under her leadership had the first Youth Confirmation Class graduating this year.
She was a lifelong Democrat, a member of her Community Care Club, a dear and faithful friend, a loving mother, wife, sister and aunt, an advocate for children, a caring community leader, a dedicated church leader, a joy to be around, and a faithful Christian who truly represented the spirit of Christ, always advocating for the underserved and doing the hard work with a heart full of love.
Cynthia is preceded in death by her mother, Mildred W. Simmons, her father, Franklin Simmons, and her brother Franklin Simmons Jr. She is survived by her husband, Robert (Bob) Gage and her children Brent Gage and Kathryn (Katie) Gage, her sister Karla Friedman and husband, Dr. Joe Friedman, her sister, Nancy Simmons Benfer, her brother, Jerry Brasier and wife, Cindy, her sister-in-law, Beatriz Malja Gage, her nieces Alisha Alexander, Sherry Little and husband Robert, Patti Ellis and husband David, and her nephews, Mauro Gage, and Paul Benfer and wife Kristen, her Godchildren, Jenae and Jaydin Weathered, her “other” daughter (D2) Heidi Burger Winkler, and countless other relatives and loved ones.
Memorial service will be held at Lakeside United Methodist Church in Streetman, TX on Friday, December 9 at 2 p.m. The family asks that guests wear bright colors, as Cynthia loved them. In lieu of flowers, loved ones can make memorial donations to CASA of Freestone & Limestone Counties, a cause very dear to Cynthia’s heart. You can mail a check to 264 Stonewall Dr. Streetman, TX. 75859 with “Cynthia Gage” in the note line or paypal at paypal.me/BiStoneCASA.
