Cynthia Elaine Burgess

Cynthia Elaine Burgess, born December 1, 1968, in Asheville, North Carolina, completed her earthly journey on January 19, 2026, in the same mountains that first held her. She returned home exactly twenty years after the passing of her beloved Great Aunt Kate, the woman who stepped in with fierce love and tenderness to raise her after the loss of her big brother and childhood hero, Billy, who passed when she was just eight years old. Cynthia was a woman of deep feeling and unmistakable presence. She carried a magnetic spirit, one that drew people in effortlessly. Friends were plentiful, laughter followed her, and wherever she went, she left an imprint. People didn’t just love her, they wanted to be near her, to feel her warmth, to witness her fire. She was a creator in every sense of the word. Writing, drawing, painting, knitting, crafting. Art flowed through her as naturally as breath. Her hands were rarely still, and her soul was always speaking through what she made. Creativity was her prayer, her therapy, her language with the world. Above all else, Cynthia’s heart belonged to her children. They were her whole world, her purpose, her pride, and her greatest joy. She was feisty by nature; fearless in love, standing up to anyone for any reason if it meant protecting those she cared for. She loved hard, defended fiercely, and never apologized for the depth of her devotion. Cynthia had a profound love for God, animals, and humanity. An empath in the truest sense, she felt the weight of others’ pain and carried it as her own. She gave endlessly, often at her own expense, sacrificing her strength to help, heal, and uplift those around her. That selfless giving will always be cherished. She is survived by her Father and best friend, Billy Joe Haney; Mothers, Melanie Haney & Saundra Golden; her sister, Beth Robinson; her brothers, James & Clint Haney; her only daughter, Rani’ Ellison; and her sons: Tyler Golden, Scott Palmer, and Billy Burgess. Most importantly, those who made her a Maw Maw, her cherished grandchildren: Casiah Cordell, Xavia Creek, Kya Golden, Bentley Burgess, Iris Palmer, and Emberly Burgess; each a living continuation of her light. She reunites in spirit with her brother Billy, Aunt Becky, and her cherished Great Aunt Kate, embraced once more by the love that shaped her life. Cynthia’s legacy is one of passion, creativity, courage, and unconditional love. She taught those around her how to feel deeply, love boldly, and stand unapologetically in who they are. Though her physical presence is gone, her spirit remains woven into art, memory, laughter, and the hearts of all who were lucky enough to know her always authentic legacy. Cynthia was light. She was fire. She will never be forgotten.

Cynthia Elaine Burgess

December 1, 1968 - January 19, 2026