On Saturday, October 13th, at 11:13 AM, Cynthia Ruiz died at University Hospital in San Antonio, Texas. Cynthia was born on January 14, 1952, in Uvalde, Texas. She did her primary schooling in Uvalde, Texas at Benson Elementary & Uvalde Jr. High School. She graduated high school from Cradock High School in 1970 in Portsmouth, Virginia. She returned to Texas for college, spending time at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene and Texas A&I University in Kingsville, Texas where she graduated in 1979 with a degree in biochemistry. Cynthia then continued her education and her dream to become a biomedical researcher so that other children and adults would not have to suffer as she had when she was stricken with Polio at the age of 3 months. Her love of education continued when she moved on to North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina, to work on her graduate education. She returned to San Antonio a few years later and once again began working in biomedical research back at UTHSCSA. When her only son was preparing to go to college, Cynthia took the opportunity to educate herself further on the matter of college financial aid. Her son was accepted to numerous Ivy League schools, but had chosen to attend Yale University. Faced with an extremely large tuition bill, Cynthia did what she had done all of her life. She attacked the problem with her immense reserve of energy. She turned that information into the seed for her new business College Resource Materials and a line of paperback books called Cash for College. Over the course of the following years, these books were published in two languages and helped countless students around the country. In addition, she managed a nationwide clientele for whom she provided consultation services through College Resource Materials. She also gave hundreds of free seminars for students to help them come up with college expenses. Over her life she won countless awards and distinctions. Recently Cynthia derived great pleasure serving as the Story Lady for the Universal City Public Library. She was preceded in death by her father, Delmiro Ruiz, and her step father Steve Martinez. She is survived by her son Phillip Curtis McKee, III (Nopadon McKee); her domestic partner, James Loren Thompson III; her mother Esther Ortiz Martinez; her brothers Lt. Col. Robert Ruiz & Retired Lt. Cmdr. Steve (Eustolia) Martinez Jr; her sisters Sandra Martinez & Yvonne (Jose Juan Sotelo); her nephews & nieces Izaak Martinez, Cynthia Al-Maznaai, Steve Martinez III, & Michelle Martinez; her ex-husband Phillip C. McKee Jr.; and a large extended family. A celebration of her life is being held at the Fireman's Association Building at 8925 I-10 West, San Antonio, Texas (I-10 West and Medical Dr.) on Wednesday, October 17th, at 10 AM. In lieu of flowers, donations are requested to the scholarship fund being set up in her honor. The family would like to express their gratitude to the San Antonio Professional Firefighter's Association for their generosity and support in these trying times.

Published in Express-News on October 16, 2007