Cynthia Ann Folio, 71, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2021, from complications related to cancer. She is survived by her daughter, Natalie Ann Raabe; her four younger siblings, Judith Beattie (James), Christopher Folio, Michael Folio, and Phillip Folio; her two nephews, Alexander and Nicholas Beattie, and her niece, Isabella Folio. She is also survived by many cousins, extended family, and lifelong friends, including Pat Skunda, Julie Bradley, and Bob Bradley. She was preceded in death by her beloved parents, Meata and Jennie Folio, and her dear friend Michael Skunda.
Cindy was born in Steubenville, Ohio, and grew up in Hopedale, Ohio. She thrived academically, balancing her studies with a robust extracurricular schedule. She was the salutatorian at Hopedale High School, a member of the National Honor Society, a State of Ohio Leader of Tomorrow, the queen of her senior prom, a cheerleader, a church organist, and a longtime member of 4-H.
Cindy attended The Ohio State University and Ohio University and graduated from the Mount Carmel School of Nursing. She maintained her nursing license until 2018 and loved her time working at Mount Carmel.
Cindy’s most cherished job was being Natalie’s mom. She was a devoted mother, attending Natalie’s lacrosse games and tennis matches, making generous contributions to her high school and college, and talking about her daughter’s accomplishments with anyone who would listen. For years, her license plate was MOM OF 1. Natalie felt — and continues to feel — the power of her mom’s unconditional love, support, and pride.
Cindy was a lifelong Democrat and was happiest discussing politics — especially if you weren’t a Democrat! True to her generous nature, she was open-minded about people’s political views and welcomed and encouraged debate. She devoured news and current events and was an avid watcher of CNN and MSNBC. Natalie believes that if she hadn’t been a nurse, she would have been a journalist. She loved learning about people and their lives. She would ask countless questions about someone’s family (kids were a favorite topic), remember all of the details, and follow up with more questions at their next visit. Natalie, who has worked in the news industry her entire career, is sure that her mom would have thrived in a newsroom.
Both sets of Cindy’s grandparents emigrated from the Abruzzo region in Italy, and she was immensely proud of her Italian-American heritage. If you were Italian, you had an immediate in with Cindy. She loved Italian food, including stuffed shells (one of her specialties), meatballs, gnocchi, wedding soup, and antipasti. In recent years, Natalie loved treating her mom to an Italian spread with all of their favorite foods, plus wine, of course.
Natalie describes Cindy as the most extraordinary person she’s ever known. Living with mental illness for most of her life, Cindy possessed a seemingly endless reserve of resilience and inner strength. The family motto is Folio Strong, which Cindy personified. She was an incredible advocate for herself. And she was buoyed by her daughter, parents, siblings, extended family, and circle of friends, who loved and supported her unconditionally. She will be deeply missed, but her legacy will be carried on by Natalie and all who knew her.
Calling hours are on Thursday, Dec. 2 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Schoedinger Funeral Home in Worthington (6699 North High Street). A memorial mass will be celebrated at St. Andrew Catholic Church, where Cindy was a parishioner, on Friday, Dec. 3 at 10:30 a.m. (1899 McCoy Road). Face masks are required, and COVID protocol will be followed at both. Cindy will be buried alongside her parents in Hopedale at a private ceremony.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Cindy’s name to the Mount Carmel College of Nursing Scholarship Fund (127 South Davis Avenue, Columbus, Ohio, 43222 or https://donor.mountcarmelfoundation.org). The family would like to thank the team at The Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital, where Cindy received best-in-class medical care during her illness, and OhioHealth Hospice, which helped bring so much peace to her final days. The family is also grateful for the care and community provided by the Laurels of Norworth in Worthington.
You can visit Cindy’s memorial tribute page at www.schoedinger.com.