By Niki Desautels
Special to the Enterprise
Jeanine Cyr cared about her community. She founded the Mill Creek Art Foundation, was president of the Rotary Club, served on the City Council, helped organize the annual “Arts Alive” art show, and contributed to Mill Creek in numerous other ways.
So when she lost her life to pancreatic cancer in March of 2004 the community came together, recreated the Friendship Garden and dedicated it to her to show how much they cared.
The Friendship Garden, located along Village Green Drive, rests in the neighborhoods that many of the Garden Club and Art Foundation members call home. Jeanine Cyr also called the neighborhood home. Soon a plaque with a dedication to Jeanine and her contributions to Mill Creek will be attached to the Windsor wall that borders the garden.
“At her memorial many of her friends wanted to do something special in her memory,” said Art Foundation member Marlene King. “Friends and family donated money for the creation of a fitting remembrance of Jeanine for all her contributions she did for the Mill Creek community.”
According to a 1999 Rotary newsletter, Cyr “loved community service and antiques” and at one point in her life had the opportunity to open her own antiques shop in the Country Village shopping center in Bothell.
“Jeanine was a real go-getter who got things done,” said Cyr’s sister Donna Wood. “She decided Mill Creek needed some art and she decided to take care of it herself.”
In 1994 Cyr’s love of the arts led her to begin the Foundation for the Arts in Mill Creek, an organization that has grown into a cornerstone of the community with its annual art show and two annual scholarships awarded to local high school students who show excellence in performing or fine arts. The scholarships began 10 years after the founding of the Art Foundation and continue to this day. After Cyr died, one of the scholarships was renamed The Jeanine Cyr Scholarship in remembrance of all that she gave to make them possible.
With the money donated to her memorial, members of the Art Foundation and many of those from the Garden Club decided to renovate the Friendship Garden and dedicate it to Jeanine Cyr.
And so once again, Jeanine Cyr brought the community of Mill Creek together and added a bit more art and beauty to it. This time they came together to honor her.
Mill Creek resident Eben Phillips volunteered his time to construct the Windsor block wall that encircles the garden, Helyn Leathley worked with several other Garden Club members and local gardener Lynn Menne to design the Friendship Garden plantery, while neighbor Frank Leathley waters and cares for the garden throughout the year.
“The Art Foundation commissioned Lance (Carleton) to design and create the metal iris sculpture now located in the upper side of the garden,” said King.
“One of Jeanie’s favorite flowers was the iris, which was also her mother’s name; hence the creation of a metal iris sculpture in her name,” King added.
Now when residents drive along Village Green Drive, on their way to school, the freeway or Heron Park, they can soon look for a sign that reads “Friendship Garden.” They can think of a life that left the community richer for the arts, with closer friendships and people who will never forget her — for she always made a lasting impression.
Niki Desautels is a student in the University of Washington Department of Communication News Laboratory.
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