Cindy Sullivan Hackman

February 8, 1948 - January 13, 2026

Cynthia Ann Hackman, loving wife, mother, sister, friend, teacher and mentor, passed from this life on January 13, 2026 at the University of Chicago Hospital in Chicago, IL, at the age of 77. She was the embodiment of courage, determination, spirit, and passion for life.

Cindy was born February 8, 1948 in Wyandotte, MI, the daughter of John Bernard Sullivan and Ann Hecimovic Sullivan. She graduated from Harvey H. Lowrey High School in 1966 with an emphasis in pop culture and “social studies”, having seen the Beatles in concert, attended the Motortown Revue multiple times, and arranged regular “going to the library to study” trips with her best friends. It was sometime during this period that her older brother Dan leant her his 1965 Corvette convertible; a mistake he would not make again.

She attended Michigan State University and in 1970 received a BA in Education with an emphasis in Deaf and Blind Special Education. Her teaching career then began in earnest with an adventure out West. She was hired by the Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind in Colorado Springs, CO to create and co-supervise a new program focusing on children with both deaf and blind handicaps.

It was at the Merry Go Round Nite Club in Colorado Springs that Cindy met Mike Hackman, a Sergeant in the Army recently returned from Vietnam, serving the remainder of his two-year draft duty at nearby Fort Carson. They fell in love, and after Mike was discharged in February 1971, Cindy completed the school year in Colorado then moved to Cincinnati, Ohio to be closer to Mike, who lived just across the Ohio River in Covington, Kentucky. She then took a job in Cincinnati Public Schools teaching deaf and blind students across the system. Cindy and Mike were married in July of 1973 and welcomed their two children Michelle and Steven into the world in 1977 and 1980.

Cindy taught for eight years in Cincinnati Public Schools, then for another three in the Clermont County school system. In addition to teaching and raising her family, she earned her Masters in Education at the University of Cincinnati.

A job opportunity for Mike led the family to relocate to the Chicagoland area in 1985, settling in Trout Valley, IL. The longest chapter of Cindy’s professional career began when she started teaching Special Education in District 155, first traveling between Crystal Lake South and Central High Schools, then eventually teaching full-time at South. She taught fifteen years in District 155, retired in 2003, then served as a consultant and tutor for eight more years.

In every phase, both in her education and her profession, Cindy’s joyfulness and humor made it easy to make friends. These would be friends she would cherish for life. She always found time for her friends, and in retirement, this became a focus. She was a talented quilter and knitter, and was able in retirement to take on large-scale and ambitious projects. Her talent was much appreciated, as evidenced by the frequent comment, ‘Your mom made that??’  She enjoyed shopping in downtown Chicago, as well as attending plays, musicals and operas with her family and friends. And finally, retirement gave her more time to pursue one of her true passions, being superfan #1 at Michelle and Steven’s musical performances.

Cindy fought and defeated breast cancer twice, in 1999 and 2004. She then became passionate about breast cancer research and became a mentor and friend to many undergoing treatment. She participated in the Avon Breast Cancer Three-Day Walk several times, making several treasured lifelong friends along the way.

A pair of heart attacks suffered in 2011, caused by artery narrowing due to radiation received during her breast cancer treatment, left Cindy with advanced stage heart failure. Her will to live, though, would prove ferocious. Dubbed a ‘miracle patient’ by her cardiologist, she lived for another fifteen years, and continued to defy the odds. During this final chapter, she enjoyed traveling with friends and family throughout the US, Mexico, and Europe; reading, quilting and knitting; going to Pilates; spending time with her PEO group; attending performances all around the country; being with her treasured family; and maintaining her influencer status through her internationally recognized brand Matching the Environment.

She will be forever remembered by all for her warmth, kindness, humour and spirit. Her memory will live on as we all strive to live with passion, determination, and fearlessness, and as we take the time to appreciate the joys of friendship and family.

Cindy is survived by her beloved husband Mike; children Michelle Hackman and Steven Hackman; brother Dan (Roselyn Brenan) Sullivan and children Elizabeth Sullivan and Brodie Sullivan; brother Michael (Cindy) Sullivan and children John Sullivan and Nick Sullivan; and sister Maureen (David Gay) Sullivan and children David Gay, Nick Gay, and Josh Gay.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Heart Association or the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project.