Cynthia "Cindy" Blanke Pomeroy

Cynthia Blanke Pomeroy, age 68, of Asheville, passed away peacefully and unexpectedly on Sunday January 5th, 2025 in Hilton Head Island, SC. She spent her final days doing what she loved with those she loved the most.

Cindy was a wonderful, devoted, and adventurous wife to her husband Bill for over 45 years. She was anything but boring. Her proudest accomplishments in life were being the loving mother to her two children, Brad and Stacia, and later – an energetic “CiCi” to Quinn, Reeves, Charlotte, and Ford.

Cindy was born Cynthia Jean Blanke on November 11, 1956 in St. Louis, MO to Robert J. Blanke and Leola F. Blanke, the fourth of their six children; Bob, Marcia, Tom, Cindy, Bill and Joe.

Her family moved to Asheville when she was six years old, and ever since, Asheville had always been home to her.
Growing up in a large, Catholic family with a single mother from the age of 11 wasn’t for the faint of heart, and she learned she had to be quick at the dinner table, quicker with her wit, and even thicker-skinned; with a touch of charm and charisma to get by.

She attended and graduated from T.C. Roberson High School in 1975 where she was a member of the so-called “Rubber Duckies” class. She starred as Snoopy (yes, like Charlie Brown’s Snoopy) in the school play, was a cheerleader – and had fond memories of attending N.C. Governor’s School in Winston-Salem for drama. She remained close friends with so many from Roberson until her death and cherished her friends dearly.

Cindy went on to attend the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill where she developed a lifelong love for cheering on the Tar Heels in any sport, and where she met her future husband, William MacKnight Pomeroy, also of Asheville. She was a charter member of the prestigious co-ed frat-sorority Sigma Omega Tau and continued to honor the legendary traditions of ΣΩΤ with her closest friends to her last day.

After graduating from UNC in 1979 with a B.A. in Radio, TV, and Motion Pictures and getting married that June (“not sure what I was thinking – but it worked out”) she moved back to Asheville in 1980 and began work in advertising sales with WLOS, a job she loved. Her children, Brad and Stacia were born in 1984 and 1986, and she left WLOS in 1990 to raise her kids full-time, the best work she did in her lifetime. She held various positions in the years that followed, working with her sister Marcia Grant at the Beverly-Grant development, Devonshire; and later joining Bill at A.G. Edwards & Sons as a financial advisor from 1997-2003 (she was clearly overqualified and Cindy quickly tired of carrying the workload for her “junior” partner).

With an “if you can’t beat them, join them” attitude, she took up tennis at 27, having no idea how to play the sport. When Bill, a very mediocre good player, declined playing with a “beginner”, Cindy decided she would get good at tennis, and she did, eventually winning far more tournaments than Bill ever did (although she did double-fault for six months straight one time.) She enjoyed participating in multiple tennis leagues year-round in both Hilton Head and Asheville until her death. Most importantly, tennis fostered a community of lifelong friends for Cindy. As much as she loved talking about her kids and grandkids to her “tennis buddies”, she loved just as much talking to her kids and grandkids about her “tennis buddies”.

Cindy developed a love for sports later in life, most likely because the rest of her family wouldn’t let her get away from them. She was a dedicated tennis and soccer mom, diligently driving to practices, games, and eventually traveling across the country and the world with her husband and kids. The locales were not usually glamorous; the hotel rooms smelled of sweaty clothing, hours upon hours were spent in sweltering summer temperatures on metal bleachers or waiting out all day rain delays; and Cindy loved the journey every step of the way. She was always there for her kids and for her family.

Cindy loved watching the Tar Heels. The truth is it wasn’t easy watching a Carolina game with Cindy, she would commentate the entire game as if she were Woody Durham and the sheer volume of her shouting at the TV after a made basket or a touchdown would make the pets go into the next room. She never got over Dean Smith going to the four corners offense vs. Marquette in 1977 and would probably like to add we beat Duke in the Final Four.

Later in life, Cindy delighted in traveling to many beautiful locations with her closest friends and family. She and her husband Bill attended all four Grand Slam tennis tournaments around the world, she traveled with family and friends to islands and mountains and off-the-beaten path locations. She loved meeting new people and relished telling of her adventures; the more interesting, the funnier, the better. She thoroughly enjoyed hosting family and friends in Asheville and on Hilton Head Island.

Even though Cindy figured out tennis, she was the world’s worst ball-thrower (it gave her family endless laughs to watch her try to throw a ball and throw it straight down every time), she was a closet-cutthroat poker player who’d bet every hand and somehow take all your chips with a laugh that made you feel good about losing. She figured out how to build a house herself to save money, and she always brought her famous seven-layer salad to any function (we weren’t sure she made anything else.) She loved to sew, but never set a deadline for a sewing project. She could take a joke and send one right back. She made time for helping others, and she was resilient in the face of many challenges. She worked hard, played just as hard, and lived a blessed life.

Most of all, Cindy loved life, loved really living, and never took a day for granted.

She was a force to witness, and she will be immensely missed by so many.

Cindy was preceded in death by her parents Robert and Leola Blanke, sister-in-law Elizabeth Pomeroy, and brother-in-law Eddie Higginbotham.

Cindy is survived by her husband William M. Pomeroy; son William B. Pomeroy and wife Brittany of Raleigh; daughter Stacia P. Auray and husband Trip of Fayetteville; four beautiful grandchildren; Quinn M. Auray, Reeves M. Auray, Charlotte W. Pomeroy, and William B. Pomeroy, Jr. (Ford). Five siblings, Robert J. Blanke, Jr. and wife Linda of Asheville; Marcia L. Grant and husband Richard of Asheville; Thomas C. Blanke and wife Cynthia of Orange Park, FL; William M. Blanke and wife Candace of Castle Hayne, NC and Joseph J. Blanke and wife Missy of Asheville. Sister-in-law Nancy Togar and husband Tunc of Asheville, sister in-law Peggy Higginbotham of Houston, TX. Nieces and nephews; Martha McClure (Mitch), Robert Blanke (Megan), Megan Kass (Nico), Colby Peele (Allen), Cameron Smith (Chris), Brannon Blanke, Julianne Tobin (Kyle), Deni Eksioglu (Erim), Derin Togar (Trevor), Cathy Higginbotham, Barbara Riddell (Mike) and Craig Higginbotham (Jennifer); along with many cousins and too many friends to count.

Funeral services will be held at Calvary Episcopal Church in Fletcher, N.C. on Thursday January 16th, 2025 at 2 p.m. with a family burial to follow in the Calvary Churchyard. A celebration of life reception for all will be held immediately following the burial in the Calvary Fellowship Hall.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Sea Turtle Patrol HHI, PO Box 23434 Hilton Head, SC 29925 or WNC Soccer Foundation, c/o ABYSA, PO Box 895 Asheville, NC 28802.

Groce Funeral Home’s Lake Julian team is assisting the family.