Cynthia Hayes McKee

 Cynthia (Cindy) Dawn Hayes McKee, age 55 of Burlington, NC, formerly of Taylorsville, passed away at Beacon Place, Greensboro, NC on July 29, 2024.

 Born June 29, 1969, to the late Glenn Hayes and Hazel Andrews Hayes Smith, of Taylorsville, NC. Cynthia was a member of Viewmont Baptist Church, but attended First Baptist Church of Elon, in Elon, NC.

 Cynthia is preceded in death by her father, Glenn Ray Hayes; maternal grandparents, Dover and Connie Andrews; paternal grandparents, Adolphus and Dorothy Hayes; brother-in-law Brian McKee; special cousin, Joy Golden Neal.

 She is survived by her husband, Duffie McKee of Burlington; children: Mattie Ann McKee of Charlotte, NC, Andrew McKee of Golden, Colorado; her mother, Hazel Hayes Smith (Lynn); brother, Darren Ray Hayes (Lisa); nieces: Sydney Hayes and Savannah Yount both of Taylorsville, NC; nephew, Anthony McKee, of Spartanburg, SC, ; parents-in-law, Jim and Shirley McKee of Myrtle Beach, SC.; Also many cousins, aunts, uncles, and an abundance of friends.

 Cynthia graduated from Alexander Central High School and Appalachian State University. She was one of the first Teaching Fellows recipients and began her career with Catawba County Schools, including Clyde Campbell Elementary, Arndt Middle School and was the first principal of Catawba Intermediate School. After moving to Burlington, NC in 2008, she was Principal of the Year in Alamance County for Alexander Wilson Elementary School. She retired in 2021 from Irving Park Elementary, part of the Guilford County School System. 

 She enjoyed her retirement at their vacation condo at the beach, or at Beech Mountain. Cynthia loved paddle boarding, pickleball, going to concerts and was a big Appalachian Mountaineer fan. Having children around was always a blessing in her life. She also enjoyed a brief “retirement career” with Horry County Schools teaching Special Ed again. 

 Visitation will be held at Antioch Baptist Church Saturday, August 3, 2024, from 1:00 pm to 2:45 pm. The funeral service will be held at Antioch Baptist Church Saturday, August 3, 2024, at 3:00 pm. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Pastor David Durham and Pastor Chance Kuzma will officiate. Jack Brown, Chris Brown, Derrick Deal, Aaron Deal, Zach Wright, and Kevin Johnson will serve as pallbearers.

 In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center, Case Western Reserve University, 2085 Adelbert Road, Room 419, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-490. CJD is a rare disease and all donations are used to find answers to the cause of this fatal disease. Email address with questions: cjdsurveillance@uhhospitals.org. https://case.edu/medicine/pathology/divisions/national-prion-disease-pathology-surveillance-center/resources-families/donation-information 

 Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Alexander Funeral and Cremation Service.

Condolences may be sent to www.alexfuneralservice.com