Cynthia “Cyndi” Ames Haselton died unexpectedly on Christmas morning, 2024 at her home in Colchester, Vermont. She was 69 years old. 

Cyndi was born in Morristown, New Jersey, to John and Patricia Ames. She graduated from Kent Place School and Boston University. In 1975, she married her high school sweetheart, Franklin “Gary” Haselton at the family home on Malletts Bay. The young couple moved to coastal Maine in 1977, first to Boothbay Harbor and then Edgecomb. They had four children in five years: Hillary (1979), identical twins Dusty and Britt (1981), and Hannah (1984). In addition to raising her children, Cyndi worked as a part-time journalist for the Boothbay Register and volunteered for her community.  

In 1990, Cyndi made the bold and courageous decision to pursue her medical degree and become a doctor. The family of six moved to Williston, Vermont, where she enrolled in medical school at the University of Vermont at the age of 35 with four young children. She continued her residency at UVM and eventually became a beloved family practitioner in Burlington. Throughout their lifetimes, Cyndi and Gary and the family continued to spend time each summer at the Haselton family’s summer home in Boothbay Harbor. She and Gary moved to her family’s Malletts Bay home in 2005. 

After Cyndi retired in 2012, she dedicated her time to volunteer for causes that were important to her. She took several trips to Nicaragua to volunteer for medical clinics in rural areas. She was passionate about nature, animals, music and most notably land conservation and addiction recovery. Since 2018, she served on the board of The Turning Point Center of Chittenden County, where she generously shared her time and expertise with the organization. Her contributions enriched and expanded recovery resources within the Burlington community.  

Cyndi was an exercise enthusiast and she had an affinity for the outdoors. Always on the move, she loved biking, walking, hiking, cross country and downhill skiing, swimming, dancing, gardening, and gathering firewood. To get herself through medical school and her professional life, she studied and worked on custom-made bike desks – either outside in good weather, or inside in bad weather and long into the night. Exercise was her remedy for practically everything. She biked everywhere she could for errands and for pleasure. Her favorite days were the ones when she had the time to bike from the family home in Williston to Mount Mansfield or Camel’s Hump, hike to the top, and then bike home – and after a trip to the lap pool, she would hop on her exercise equipment for hours on end. 
 
Most recently, her adventurous spirit led her to Switzerland and France with her daughter Hannah to check off one of her bucket list trips: hiking part of the Tour du Mont Blanc. She was truly in her element in the Alps, soaking up what she called the “power of the mountains.” 

Cyndi was an energizer bunny that had the biggest heart. She would drop anything to give a helping hand, to offer medical advice to someone in need, or to bike to a grandchild’s sports event. Her tenacious spirit will be deeply missed by her family, friends, and community.  

Cyndi was predeceased by Gary in 2010, Dusty in 2017, and her parents. She is survived by her children, Hillary Haselton of Centennial, Colorado, Britt Haselton and his wife Lexie of Bolton, Vermont, Dusty’s widow, Melinda Haley Haselton of Ghent, New York, Hannah Jackon and her husband Doug of Colchester, Vermont. She is also survived by her brother, John Ames of Winooski, Vermont, and seven thriving grandchildren: Lucas, Logan, Wynn, Teddy, Kaia, Kota, and Haley. 

A private celebration of life will be held this summer. In lieu of flowers, go for a hike in her honor, and if you’d like to make a memorial donation in her name, please make them to Turning Point Center of Vermont  (https://turningpointcentervt.org/donate/) or Boothbay Region Land Trust (https://bbrlt.org/donate/). Choose adventure whenever possible, and keep moving!