Obituary

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Cynthia “Sis” Maddox (76) on January 27, 2025. She was born in Dayton, Ohio, on December 20, 1948, to the late Maxine (Warling) and Ralph Elam. Sis retired from Great Lakes Air Force Base after a successful and fulfilling career.

Sis had a personality as bold as the margaritas she loved and the Pepsi she couldn’t live without. Her laugh was infectious and could light up any room, and though she had a stubborn streak (she never backed down from an argument—ever), it was part of what made her unforgettable.

If you ever stayed over as a kid, you knew the ritual: a late-night grocery store run, picking out a mountain of snacks, then curling up in her bed (which was always a little crunchy) to munch on chips, Twizzlers, and Dots while she scared the daylights out of you with The X-Files.

Sis didn’t need to try to be unforgettable—she just was. With her love, her stubbornness, and her ability to make life a little more fun, she left an impression on all of us. Her love for her family was undeniable, and she lived life on her own terms, never asking for permission to be herself. And we wouldn’t have had it any other way.

She was preceded in death by her parents, brother, Dennis “Chip” Elam, and brother-in-law Oliver “Fuzzy” Ball.

Sis leaves behind Molly Dotson and family, siblings Victor (Kimberly) Elam, Anita Ball, Angela Elam, Vincent (Mary) Elam; nieces Joy Deak, Vicki (Steven) Cummins, Haley Cooper, Holly Cooper, Mackenzie Williams, and Jaci Ball; and nephews Darren Ball, Chris Elam, Kori (Lyndsay) Elam, Alex Elam, and Lance Ball, along with numerous extended family members.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, you donate to a charity of your choosing in Sis’s honor.

We will miss her quirks, her love for cats, and her symphony of alarm clocks. But we’ll carry the memories of your wild, unforgettable soul with us always. May you find peace and all the QVC deals your heart desires. You were deeply loved. Always.