Obituary of Cynthia Ann Bahlman

Cynthia was born in Findlay, Ohio to Robert & Dorothy Shoemaker on 4/1/1943. She was an only child and lived a wonderful young life in Findlay with her adoring parents. They traveled frequently to places all over the United States. In 1958 she met Steven Bahlman in the high school band and they dated for the next 7 years. She graduated from Findlay High School in 1961 and then graduated Cum Laude from Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio with a BS in Education in 1965. A week later, on June 12, 1965, she and Steven were married in Findlay and moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan where Steven was starting his third year in medical school at the University of Michigan.

She taught school in Dexter, MI until they moved to Denver, CO for Steven’s internship in 1967 where she taught in Jefferson County. When they moved the next year to San Francisco, CA for Steven’s anesthesiology residency, she substitute taught in schools south of San Francisco until their first daughter, Heather, was born on April 28, 1970. After Steven’s 2 years in the Army (Korea and Colorado Springs, CO), they moved to their only home in Golden, CO. Debbie was born shortly after moving to Golden on September 29, 1973.

Cynthia was very active in Bible Study Fellowship for several years and taught children’s bible study and directed the cherub choir at the Applewood Valley United Methodist Church. She was also a volunteer “Picture Lady” where she taught about famous artists and their paintings in the Jefferson County Schools. She was involved in the Young Life Ministry when their girls were in high school. She was also an avid gardener and artist creating many oil paintings. She also loved animals (especially cats of which she had many over the years).

When Steven retired in December, 1996, they joined the Mobile Missionary Assistance Program and then subsequently the Sower Ministry and spent the next 23 years traveling in the US and Canada with these Christian RV groups - building and remodeling churches and church camps.

In 2021, Cynthia’s memory began to fail and she ended up moving into a memory-care facility near her home in November 2022. She passed away there on December 26, 2023 just after her whole family sang hymns and Christmas carols to her and each one told her how much they loved her. She was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother and friend and will be greatly missed !! She was a member of the Stillwater Community Chapel near Grand Lake, CO. She is survived by her husband of 58 1/2 years, Steven, their 2 daughters, Heather Vahle (Darren) and Debbie Brown (Eric) plus their 5 grandchildren: Emma Alwais (Zac), Jacob Brown, Ethan Vahle, Kaitlyn Brown and Benjamin Brown (fiancé Grace).

There will be a memorial service for Cynthia in the spring or summer of 2024. Donations can be made to her hospice service - Bloom Flourish Thrive Foundation, 12600 W. Colfax, Suite B 200, Lakewood, CO 80215.