Cynda Sue Mort

Mort, Cynda 62, of St. Petersburg, Florida passed away at Suncoast Hospice/Bayfront on May 16, 2015. She was born on October 25, 1952 in Ft. Wayne, IN to Willard Muzzy and Sue Allman Muzzy. Cynda became the Editor of West Noble High School which launched her journalism career. She graduated from Ball State University with a degree in Journalism in February 1973. Four days later she began working at the Ft. Wayne News Sentinel in the Features department. She married Kevin Mort on June 2, 1973 in Ligonier, IN. In 1977 Cynda and Kevin moved to Elyria, Ohio where she began working as the Editor of the Features department of the Elyria Chronicle Telegram. In 1980 they moved to Tampa when she found a job at the Tampa Tribune. During this time Zachary and Andrew were born. In 1988 she began working at the copy desk at the St. Petersburg Times. There she developed the KidsXpress and Seniority sections of the Times. She worked with the Times until 1999 when she found her new calling as the Christian Formation Director at St. Thomas Episcopal Church on Snell Island. There she helped develop a vacation bible school curriculum which was centered on Outreach to the YWCA Family Village and Resurrection House to name a few. In 2001 Cynda was approached about beginning a Journalism Program at Melrose Elementary in St Pete. From there she developed a journalism track for Melrose, John Hopkins Middle School, and Lakewood High School. She named the program, "Journeys in Journalism." All three schools have received national awards for their newspapers. Cynda also developed the "Midtown Through Our Eyes" exhibit which displays over 100 student's images from the Midtown area, which has become an annual event at Studio@620 with an average attendance of around 500 people. Cynda is survived by her husband The Reverend Kevin Mort, her two sons Zachary and Andrew, her mother Sue Stellges, her brother Larry and his wife Sue Muzzy, and her nieces Carly, Emily, and Megan Muzzy, Kevin's parents Joseph and Marilyn Mort, his brother Tristan, and sisters Joni Walter and Janeen Meinert, all from Indiana. There will be a Memorial Service Friday, May 22nd, 2:00 PM at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, 738 Pinellas Point Drive. In lieu of Flowers please make donations to Cynda Mort Scholarship/Lakewood; Pinellas Education Fund, 12090 Starkey Road, Largo, FL 33773