Cynthia Joyce Fruit, 75, passed away on Wednesday, November 12, 2025 at Serenity Hospice and Home in Oregon, Illinois. Cindy (as she like to be called) was born in Fort Hood, Texas on June 13, 1950 and in 1954 when her mother, Phyllis(Starr), married Howard Schumacher, he legally changed her name to Schumacher. Cindy graduated from Belvidere High School in 1968, having experienced the tornado of 67.

Upon graduation, Cindy worked for the Greater Belvidere Area Chamber of Commerce from 1968 to 1972. She married Curtis Fruit, son of Neilan and Mildred (Johanningsmeier) Fruit, on April 3, 1971 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Belvidere, IL. Cindy and Curt moved to the small town of Lindenwood, IL where they made their home for the remainder of their days. From 1972 until her retirement in 2010, Cindy worked for several companies. They included DeKalb-Ogle/Contel/GTE/Verizon telephone companies in the Rochelle, DeKalb and Sycamore areas, Kysor of Byron, Auto-Meter in Sycamore, Parkside Warehouse in Rockford, and Manpower.  Cindy retired in 2010 from Verizon where she had accumulated 24+ years with the telephone companies.

Cindy was very much community and church-minded. Community wise - she was Lynnville Township Clerk for eight years, served as secretary for the Lindenwood Cemetery Association for almost 20 years, served several years as treasurer of the Ogle Country View Homeowners Association, and was the secretary-treasurer of the Lindenwood Memorial Day Committee for over10 years. Church wise - Cindy and Curt became members of the Esmond United Methodist Church around 1984 and she was involved in many of the church committees and positions.  Cindy served as the church treasurer from 1996 until 2025. Cindy started the Church's Fall Bazaar in 2012. Cindy and Curt were also the church's representatives on the Hub Cluster Board, where she served as treasurer for over 10+ years. After her retirement, Cindy also volunteered her time at Serenity Hospice and Home in Oregon.

Besides working a 40 hour week - Cindy accompanied Curt and the kids when Curt did his tractor pulling "thing", attending many NITA and ITPA tractor pulls. Cindy and Curt (and their kids), along with Curt's brother and his family started "Pulls by C Pullers". This was a pedal pull operation that put on kids and adult pedal pulls at county fairs and local town festivals for 20 years. It started out as just a hand full and before long more pulls were added each summer, ending up with over 40 pulls during the summer months. During these events, we met many great people who followed us with their children.

Cindy is survived by her husband, Curt, of 54+ years; her son, Chad (Jessica) grandchildren: Gavin and Addison Fruit, two step grandchildren: Alaina and Logan Kuligowski and daughter, Crystal Fruit with two granddogs -Tucker and Taffy. She is also survived by her brother, William (Debbi Weber) Schumacher and sister, Cheryl (Brad Richmond) Crabtree, along with her two sons: Kristopher (Ashley) and Ryan (Liz); brother-in-law, Wayne Fruit and his two sons: Ronald (Nicole) and Dean (Joyce). She is predeceased by her parents.

Special thank you to all who have been involved with this journey over the last year, especially Cindy's dear friend and neighbor Cathy Pearson, who offered to help never realizing how long this would last. She was our God send! Thank you to the doctors, PA's and nurses at UM Madison Urology and Infectious Disease Departments for the exceptional care, along with the exceptional people who have worked through OSF Home Health and Serenity Hospice and Home.

Visitation will be held from 2:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. on Sunday, November 16, 2025 at the Unger-Horner Funeral Home, 400 N 6th St., Rochelle.  Funeral service will be held at 10:00 A.M. on Monday at the Esmond United Methodist Church with Pastor Dave Rogula officiating.  Burial will follow at the Lindenwood Cemetery. There will be a luncheon after the burial at the Lindenwood Fire Department.    In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Serenity Hospice and Home, the Lindenwood Cemetery Association Operating Fund or Esmond United Methodist Church (Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes).  Guest book at www.UngerHorner.com