Cindy Kay Harrison

It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of our beloved sister, aunt, friend, and light in so many lives—Cindy Kay Stephens Harrison.

Cindy was born on August 11,1963, and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. She graduated from South High School and began her college journey at Utah State University. Never a fan of the cold, she transferred to Southern Utah State College (now Southern Utah University), where she earned her degree in elementary education.

As a child, Cindy was lovingly known as our mom’s “homebody”—she was most content puttering around the house, keeping things just so. So it surprised everyone when, right after high school, she took a job as a nanny back east in Philadelphia. From there, she wrote home about exploring iconic shops like Saks Fifth Avenue, taking a pottery class, and treating herself to a stylish new haircut. That trip revealed her quiet sense of adventure and willingness to try something new—on her own terms.

We grew up in a household that loved family game nights—almost every night, in fact. Cindy was always a good sport, happily playing along even though she wasn’t the least bit competitive. But don’t ever think you’d beat her at her favorite game—Boggle. She had a gift for it, loved finding every possible word, and often played on her own just for the joy of it. It was one of the many ways she found quiet pleasure in the little things.

Though she didn’t pursue teaching, Cindy built a long and steady career with the U.S. Postal Service. She worked for over 20 years, beginning in Salt Lake City before transferring to Las Vegas to escape the cold she never grew fond of.

Cindy married Jared Harrison on June 25, 1993 and they settled in for the majority of that time in the warm, snowless, desert climate area of Las Vegas, Nevada.

While she missed living close to family in Utah, Cindy never missed a chance to stay connected. She was known for making the long drive from Nevada to Salt Lake City as well as to Southern California whenever she could—especially for family milestones. Whether it was a baptism, a missionary farewell, or just a simple get-together, Cindy showed up. That was her way: quiet, steady, and full of love.

When loved ones visited her in Las Vegas, she was the ultimate host—proud to share her favorite spots like Circus Circus, the aquarium and the Ethel M Chocolates Factory and Cactus Garden. She also enjoyed road trips to the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, and nearby ghost towns—complete with playful gunslinger shootouts and old-timey photo ops.

Cindy was preceded in passing by her father, Arvel LeRois Stephens, and her mother, Roberta Hyde (Morris) Stephens and survived by her husband, Jared Harrison, and her siblings: Marcia (Glen) Nelson; Leland (Brenda) Stephens; Robert Stephens and his partner, Michele Covell; David (Michele) Stephens; and Arlene Stephens and her fiancé, Corbin Reymus, and by her many beloved nieces and nephews.

Although we are deeply saddened by her passing, we take comfort in knowing that she is in a better place—free from the limits of her physical body. May we honor her the way she lived-honestly, warmly and with love.

We will be holding a memorial service on Saturday, November 15^th, from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm at the Larkin Mortuary, 260 E South Temple, SLC, UT 84111. Local friends and family are welcome to attend in person, and we will provide a link for those who are unable to attend who wish to watch it online.

We are honoring her wishes to be cremated and the internment will take place in the spring.