Christy Ann Tindell

Christy Ann Tindell, 66, passed away peacefully on February 16, 2026, at Duke University Hospital, with her children by her side.

Born in Akron, Ohio, she grew up in Illinois and attended the University of Iowa, remaining a loyal Hawkeye for the rest of her life and proudly cheering them on through every season.

Christy was the strongest woman her family knew. Her daughter, Courtney, credits Christy with shaping her into the independent woman she is today through unconditional love and the certainty that her mom would show up anytime, anywhere. Her son, Tyler, knew her as a mother who would do anything to make her children’s lives better, whether that meant listening without judgment, offering timely advice, or providing help when it was needed most. Christy was most proud of her two children, Courtney and Tyler. Being their mother was the role she cherished above all else. She was steady, loyal, and endlessly supportive.

Professionally, Christy held several roles throughout her life, including pharmacy technician and real estate agent, before finding her stride as a Document Control Specialist for large-scale engineering companies. She may have described the work modestly, but those around her knew differently. She was a force at work, highly respected, deeply valued, and often requested by management for major projects. She threw herself fully into her responsibilities, mastering systems and earning the trust of colleagues. The many who knew her often referred to her as “one hell of a woman,” a sentiment that applied just as much to her professional life as to her personal one.

Christy had many hobbies. One of her constants was gardening and growing plants, nurturing life with patience and care. Whatever she chose to pursue, she took the time to learn and master it. Over the years, her interests ranged from skiing mountains across the country and building beautiful ceramic creations to crocheting and knitting intricate works of art, including snowflakes that still adorn the family tree, and creating the coolest waterscape fish tanks. She loved scuba diving and exploring beneath the surface of the ocean, drawn to discovery and adventure. She was fearless. But her absolute favorite thing to do was sit on a beach with a good book. She collected a bottle of sand from every beach she visited over the years, each one a quiet reminder of where she had been, the people she met along the way, and the memories she carried home.

Christy faced a rare and aggressive form of leukemia with remarkable courage. Without the extraordinary care of her doctors and nurses at the Loveland Clinic for Blood Cancer Therapy in Salt Lake City and the Duke Blood Cancer Center in Durham, North Carolina, her family would not have been given eleven additional precious months with her, time they will forever treasure.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Harold and Pauline Tindell. She is survived by her brother, Victor Tindell; her daughter, Courtney Duvendack; and her son, Tyler Duvendack.

Christy will be privately cremated on Friday, February 20, 2026. In lieu of flowers or services, the family invites those who wish to honor her memory to consider a memorial donation to the Duke Cancer Institute, with gifts directed specifically to Hematological Malignancies and Cellular Therapy, at http://dccc.convio.net/goto/christy-tindell

In Christy’s honor, the family also encourages blood and platelet donation at your local Red Cross, a simple act that gives others the gift of time, just as it did for her.

Christy’s strength, dedication, curiosity, and unwavering love will live on in the lives of her children. They hope to emulate the kind of person she was for the rest of their lives, a reflection of the powerful legacy she leaves behind.

http://dccc.convio.net/goto/christy-tindell

Red Cross