Cynthia Pepe

Cynthia L. Pepe, 48, of Milford, passed away on July 5, 2022. Born on September 14, 1973 in Milford, CT, she is the beloved daughter of Ernest and Elaine (Sebas) Pepe.

From the earliest years of Cindy's childhood, she was always a force to be reckoned with, in all the best ways. Her kindness was limitless, her giving nature was unparalleled, & her passion for the things she loved pushed her to always go above and beyond.

Cindy grew up on the football fields, with a whistle in her mouth, admiring her father as he coached teams to victory. Like him, she became quite the athlete in high school, as well as sharing her beautiful voice and pursuing her love of music in the school choir. It was also in school, that she met Theodore, or T.J. Stanko, who she would someday marry. Together, Cindy and T.J. had two children, and Cindy always said that was the most beautiful thing he ever gave her. Out of all the accomplishments Cindy achieved in her life, she undoubtedly was made to be a Mom. She supported, loved-on, and was the biggest cheerleader in Samantha & Tyler’s lives, and she tried her best not to miss a single moment.

Selfless; Cindy was the embodiment of acts of service. She never had much, but she behaved as though she had the world to give. The shirt on her back was yours, even if it was her last one, if only it could make someone happy.

Whether it was buying a homeless person a hotel room on a cold night, or throwing endless fundraisers/benefit concerts for a recent tragedy, Cindy just wanted to do her part to make the world better & kinder.

At the Boy Scouts of America, she spent many years as the Program Assistant, but Cindy often well exceeded her job description. One of her projects she was most proud of was her active role in making Cub Scout Day Camp a success for all kids. For two years, she even worked as a team with her daughter to put on a program they designed side by side.

It was later in her life, however, that during a pandemic, Cindy and her daughter decided they wanted to impact a community with the gift of health, wellness, & Good Vibes. With the help of family and friends, they opened up Good Vibes Nutrition, in the small town of North Branford, CT. It was Cindy who came up with their mission statement; For every person who walked through their doors to leave feeling better than when they first came in, & know that all people were welcome if only they upheld two simple words: Be Kind.

Customers quickly became friends, and those friends quickly became family, and with the help of an amazing group affectionately coined, the ‘Good Vibes Girls’, the space transformed into Cindy’s happy place. Cindy loved to sit on the couch with a tea in hand & friends at her side; greeting every person, kiddo, or fur-baby, that stopped by. Sometimes her boy would stop by for a shake, while they handed out handwritten tags, known as ‘Extra Good Vibes’, written by her Mama to make someone’s day a little brighter.

Cindy’s proudest moments were often through a mother’s eyes; working a business she loved with her daughter Samantha, & watching her son Tyler graduate as a New Haven Fire Fighter.

She loved to goof around, go on long drives without a particular destination, and sing her heart out like no one was watching, even if it was just to her dog Tessa.

Her legacy can be summed up with this quote:

“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” ~ Pablo Picasso

In addition to her parents, Cindy is survived by her daughter, Samantha (Bryan Creevy) Pepe; son, Tyler Stanko; and her favorite children, Klausy Poo and Tessa Gray. She is also survived by her close friends, Jennifer O’Connor Condriet, Linda Creevy, Jeff Garrand, Diana Knapp, and Tiffany Arsenault; honorary daughter Ruth Collier, her ‘Good Vibes Girls’, and many extended family members. Cindy was predeceased by one of her best friends, Herb Kemp ‘Kempy’. 

A gathering of friends and family will take place on Wednesday, July 13, 2022 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the CODY-WHITE FUNERAL HOME 107 Broad St., Milford, CT 06460. Interment will be private. In honor of Cindy, you are welcome to send flowers in her loving memory, or make a donation to a cause she was passionate about: the Dan Cosgroves Animal Shelter, in Branford, CT. Cindy believed that every fur-baby(animal) deserves a good home, & if she could she wished she could take them all in herself.

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