Cynthia Bergstedt

With profound sadness, we announce the passing of Cynthia Bergstedt, 78, on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, surrounded by her family at their home in Paxton.

Born and raised in Worcester, Cynthia was the daughter of the late Sven and Doris (Bray) Bergstedt. At her core, she was deeply spiritual, pouring her light and love into all of her relationships: with herself, her family, and friends.

A devoted mother and grandmother, Cynthia is survived by her children: Deborah Forhan Rimmler and her husband David of Lenox; Betsy Forhan and her husband Paul Turlick of Brooklyn, NY; Kerry Forhan and his wife Hanh of Paxton, together with their father Michael Forhan of Thailand; Sarah Moore and her husband Jim of Costa Rica, together with her father Vincent Myers of Sterling; and Eric McMaster and his wife Lauren of Paxton. She also leaves behind her beloved grandchildren: Havy Nguyen, Lukas Turlick, Henry and David Rimmler, Sebastian Moore, and Ryan and Brooklyn McMaster. Cynthia made it her purpose to nurture special connections with each of her children and grandchildren instilling them with her values of humility, compassion, bravery, kindness and sincerity.

Cynthia is also survived by her husband of 35 years, Mark McMaster; her sisters, Linda Szczypien and her husband Fred of Sturbridge, and Debra Culberson and her husband Harry of Worcester; her brother-in-law Rod White; her sister-in-law Donna Libby and her husband Walter of Oregon; and many beloved nieces and nephews (Raija; Amy and Chris; Scott, Jason, and Paige; Julie, Mandy, Becky, and Nathan; and Sarah). She now joins her late sister Patricia White, her brother Eric Bergstedt, her sister-in-law Denise Forhan Vaisanen, her mother-in-law Jeanette McMaster, and her nephew Emery Libby in the great beyond. Her family and friends relied on Cynthia’s wisdom in guiding many of their life’s hard decisions.

Cynthia ensured that, despite life’s twists and turns, her family only expanded as time went on. In that spirit, she is also survived by her children’s stepmother Nancy Gregg and her husband Charlie Mahoney of Brookline—who together with her former husbands shared in raising and loving her children. This unique family owes its deep connection to the generosity of spirit of this courageous woman.

Mark and Cynthia shared a profound love of nature and a lifetime of adventures—from tandem bike rides and their annual pilgrimage to a quiet lake cabin in Vermont, to snowshoeing and long country drives that often ended with a Dairy Queen treat. Cynthia and her family lived for decades at their home in Paxton, where they cultivated winding trails through the beautiful forest from their backyard to the lookout atop Asnebumskit Hill. Her family and friends all have special memories of hikes with Cynthia that became part of the family’s shared story. Summers in Paxton were filled with beautiful flowers that Cynthia planted around the house and enjoyed from the serenity of the backyard screen porch or the front patio.

Together with her sisters, Cynthia perfected the art of being an Aunty—creating cherished rituals and traditions among the cousins. She was known among family and friends as the host of treasured Christmas Eve celebrations for decades, the one who enthusiastically kicked off “Happy Birthday” on the right note, and the generous maker of tuna-salad and egg-salad sandwiches with all the fixings for summer picnics. They gave the next generation of Bergstedts the lasting gift of a shared childhood.

Cynthia graduated from Classical High School in Worcester and later from the School of Myotherapy and Physical Fitness in Lenox. She was a co-creator of – and fellow participant in – many healing & growth workshops that brought her spiritual insights to life. She worked in the cafeteria at Wachusett Regional High School for many years, bringing joy and purpose to her coworkers and a warm smile to countless students at the grab-and-go cart. She was also a waitress at many restaurants throughout the area, where her children were fortunate to work alongside her, learning firsthand her strong values of hard work, kindness, and taking pride in every task.

As a Justice of the Peace, Cynthia performed weddings and ceremonies for friends, family, and members of the community for decades—bringing her unique blend of strength, warmth, and joy to life’s most meaningful moments. On one of her final visits to the emergency room, a nurse recognized her and later returned with a photograph from her own wedding—officiated by Cynthia—a quiet testament to the lasting impact she had on so many lives.

Cynthia was bold. Her family and friends will fondly remember that there was no dipping your toe in the ocean with her—there was only a countdown and then a fearless sprint to dive into the wild (and often cold) waters. She was similarly bold in the wisdom she conveyed. Cynthia possessed a certainty about the inherent goodness of the world that she passed onto others, often starting a reply to a question with “the truth is….”

Calling Hours will be held at Miles Funeral Home, 1158 Main Street, Holden, on Friday, April 24th from 3pm to 7pm. A funeral remembrance service will be held at the First Congregational Church of Paxton, 1 Church Street, Paxton, on Saturday, April 25th at 10am. Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to Why Me, which is a Worcester Based non-profit organization created to help Central New England families cope with childhood cancer at https://whyme.org/get-involved/donate/