Cynthia Tapkas

Cynthia Carroll Tapkas, née Winters, aged 77, passed away Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at her home in Bonita Springs, FL.  Better known as Cindy, she was born June 27, 1948, in Williamsport, PA to the late Charles and Janet Winters and was raised in Stroudsburg, PA.

After graduating from Stroudsburg High School in 1966, Cindy attended Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame, IN, where she studied social work and psychology, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1970.  Cindy began her career as a flight attendant with Texas International and Continental Airlines before resigning to raise her two sons.  Although she later returned to work as a flight attendant, Cindy's passion for children led her to her most fulfilling roles as a nanny, an early childhood educator and a tutor for a child with autism.

Cindy’s greatest source of joy came from her own children and family.  She was married to James Tapkas for more than twenty years, and together they had two sons, Jason and Joshua, born in 1980 and 1983, respectively.  Cindy was a proud mother who dedicated her life to her sons’ well-being and happiness.  During their marriage, she moved with her family from Houston, TX to Wilbraham, MA and internationally to Brussels, Belgium and Tokyo, Japan.

Like many retirees before her, Cindy was drawn to the warmer, relaxed lifestyle of Florida and eventually settled in Bonita Springs.  She was especially motivated to create a home where her children and future grandchildren would love to gather and share memories together.  In her final years, Mimi, as she was lovingly called by her granddaughters, found the peace she had sought throughout her life in the simple joy of sitting on her lanai, watching Nora and Laila play in her pool.

Cindy will be remembered for her outgoing nature, kind heart and genuine compassion for others.  She was incredibly affable and had a jovial sense of humor that brought joy to those around her, even her fellow shoppers in line at the grocery store.  As a young woman, Cindy demonstrated her adventurous spirit by moving across the country on her own.  When faced with declining health caused by lung cancer, she persevered through the greatest challenge of her life with quiet strength and resilience.

Cindy is survived by her son, Jason Tapkas of Washington, D.C.; her son, Josh Tapkas, and his wife, Nisha, and her granddaughters, Nora and Laila, all of Baltimore, MD; and her sisters, Christine James of Tannersville, PA, Catherine Sommers of Stroudsburg, PA, and Carole Van Assche of Cape Coral, FL.  She was preceded in death by her father, Charles Winters, her mother, Janet Winters, née Carroll, her brother, Charles “Chip” Winters, and her former husband, Jim Tapkas.

A private memorial service will be held at a later date.  For those who wish to honor Cindy’s memory, memorial donations may be made to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund to support cancer research and patient care at: www.jimmyfund.org/gift