Cynthia Shaffer Olsen

Cynthia Shaffer Olsen, 58, passed away surrounded by her family on December 23, 2018, in Bryan, Texas after a 9 ½ year battle with breast cancer. Cindy is survived by her parents Jolene and Dean Shaffer, her husband Robert Olsen, her children Nicolee (Grant) Nielsen, Amber Olsen, Taylor (Jennifer) Olsen, and Kaylee Olsen, her siblings Wendy Mosavi, Tricia Nelson, Cory Shaffer, Lynette Wildman, and Tanya Shaffer, and her grandchildren Lyla Farnsworth, Ilee Nielsen, Ryatt Nielsen, Slade Nielsen, and Daniel Olsen (due in April 2019).
Cindy was born on July 8, 1960, in Tremonton, Utah to Dean and Jolene Shaffer and was the oldest of 6 children. As a child Cindy grew up in Thatcher, Idaho and Providence, Utah. She attended Sky View High School in Smithfield, Utah. Cindy enjoyed being outdoors, was an avid skier, loved to play softball, and raised and trained huskies when she was young.
In 1980 she married her eternal companion, Robert Steven Olsen, in the Logan Utah Temple. They began their family in River Heights, Utah before moving to Bryan, Texas, where they have lived for the past 24 years. While Cindy loved the people in Texas, she always considered Utah to be her home and visited often.
Her greatest love was being a mother and a grandmother. She loved spending the summers camping, traveling, and making memories with her children. This was reflected each new school year when she expressed how much she hated sending her children back to school. Cindy spent many hours volunteering at their schools as a way to be close to her children and serve others.
Cindy was known for always carrying a camera and had a talent for taking pictures but always dodged the camera herself. Cindy also loved decorating and planning for family activities. She always went out of her way to make every activity special and picture perfect to help brighten family and friends’ lives. She also enjoyed crafts and sewing. When her girls were small she sewed matching outfits for them. She also loved to sew Halloween costumes for her children and grandchildren.
Cindy’s legacy is her passion to serve everyone. She was known for being selfless and always putting others’ needs first. She spent countless hours with the youth and children through her service in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Many of the Young Women she taught called her their second mother. She always went out of her way to build personal relationships with her family and friends, making each of them feel special.
During Cindy’s numerous surgeries and chemo treatments she always remained optimistic and never complained. If you asked her how she was feeling she always smiled and said “I’m fine.” Cindy’s faithful companion Logan, the family’s dog, brought her comfort and helped her cope with her illness. Everyone who had the opportunity to meet Cindy could feel her love and passion for life. She loved to laugh. Her laugh was contagious causing everyone else around her to laugh. Cindy’s positive outlook on life and her passion to serve others is what she will be remembered for.
A celebration of life will be hosted by the family at 309 South Main Street Providence Utah on January 11th. Friends and family are in invited to attend between 11am to 1pm. The family wishes to thank everyone who has served, cared for, and prayed for Cindy and her family. Special thanks to her friends, her fellow church members who provided countless meals and friendship, to the oncology department at the Scott & White Clinic, and the nurses and staff at Hospice Brazos Valley.