Friends Remember Teacher: 'Never Was There A More Beautiful Soul'

NORTH FORK, NY — A beloved Greenport teacher, Cindy Goldsmith-Agosta, was laid to rest Thursday, leaving hearts shattered across hamlets and miles. In the days since her sudden death Saturday, those who loved her reached out to pay tribute to a woman who touched all of their lives forever.

Fellow teacher and dear friend Carrie Burke spoke at a vigil held this week outside Greenport High School: "Cindy was not only a colleague, but a soul sister. Intelligent, passionate, fierce, strong and loving. She was all of this but so much more. As a friend, she was loyal, honest and always knew the go to person or had helpful advice when needed. As an educator, she was dedicated and a strong advocate for her students. Cindy represented the heart of Greenport High School and worked hard to maintain the family spirit of Greenport despite inevitable change. She inspired me to be a better teacher, friend and human," she said.

Goldsmith-Agosta left behind not just her parents Russ and Linda Goldsmith and her husband Sal and son John, but scores of family members, friends, colleagues and students who have been struggling to comprehend the unthinkable.

The loss to her family, her friends, the school and community "is something that will never be healed, but rather endured," Burke said. "Her light shone brightly in the brief time she was here, but, oh, what a legacy she left."

Mindy Viggiano, who also taught with Goldsmith-Agosta, wrote of her sadness on social media: "Cindy and Mindy, Mindy and Cindy. 'She is she and I am me but she and me, we are we.'"

Speaking with Patch, Viggiano said she'd co-taught with Goldsmith-Agosta for 17 out of 18 years.

"She was truly a special person. I was blessed to simply know her. She had this uncanny ability to make everyone feel special. Each student, friend, colleague — she made each of us feel like we mattered. She made people feel good, she was supportive and strong and you could count on her for a helping hand. She wore her heart on her sleeve and gave so much of herself to others."

Viggiano said when she had her son, Michael, every time Goldsmith-Agosta saw him, she would say, "'My Michael!' She just made him feel like he was the most important person in the world. She just had this ability to create that spark in people. You want to be around her, to soak up her presence, her spirit. Never was there a more beautiful soul."

The memories are quiet ones, Viggiano said, of days spent together talking, planning lessons, building curriculum and chatting about life.

"She was part of my everyday. The normal, my normal, simply routine — and it is now there will be a void that will never be filled."

One of her favorite memories, of which there are many, Viggiano said, took place when Goldsmith-Agosta announced her pregnancy. "I don't think she was going to tell just yet but a young student had a pack of gum and kindly asked if she wanted a piece," she said. "She took one look at it and you could tell she got a little green around the gills — morning sickness, perhaps? She politely said, 'No, thanks,' but the little girl said, 'Well, if you don't want that kind I have all this,' and proceeded to pull out other types of gum from her bag. Needless to say, this didn't help Cindy. So she blurts out, 'I can't have any because I am going to have a baby!' The class immediately erupted in cheers; the kids were jumping up and down; I'm shrieking; she's laughing and our friend with the gum is speechless — mouth open. I wonder if Cindy's son John likes gum, now?"

Heartbroken, she added: "Cindy was one of my best friends and I can't believe she is gone. There truly was never a better soul. I miss her beyond belief."

Thomas O'Leary said he was devastated by her loss. As a new teacher in Greenport, he said: "She made such an impact on my life. She treated me like family. She was my 'teacher/fairy godmother. She had my back."

Despite the fact that he now teaches in Westhampton Beach, O'Leary said they'd remained close; he remembered time spent laughing on the boat."She was fierce," he said. "As your friend, she told you how it is. She was always there for you, for anything. She was caring, kind, respectful, and professional — but also funny. She could make anyone happy, just by walking in a room. I am who I am as an adult because of her," he said.

Goldsmith-Agosta, he said, always did whatever she could to help others and was devoted to her students. And to her friends, she was a steady, caring presence.

"If I seemed down, she would just turn it around and make me laugh," O'Leary said. "She was just a beautiful light."

Christine Koprivica agreed: "Cindy was a light that could never be dimmed. Her light shined through us all. Memories of a beautiful soul, that will forever live within our hearts."

Britta Babashak shared her grief on Facebook: "There are moments when the world can just break your heart," she said.

Babashak said she had known Cindy since high school. "I was at Southold and she was at Greenport but as most of you know, combined sports and AP classes and a very small town pushes you together. She was friends with everyone. Liked by all. She was involved in everything."

When Babashak moved back and started the Maritime Day School, Goldsmith-Agosta was immediately onboard to help. "We had the pleasure of having John in our preschool program. Every donation, every event, every registration push, she was one of my biggest supporters, asking, 'What do you need?' 'What can we do ?' And, as I tell my children — that means something."

Goldsmith-Agosta, she said, was "an awesome wife, mother, daughter, aunt, friend, teacher, community advocate. And she was about smiling, lifting, and doing what was right. She had your back. And the girl was just so much fun — you wanted her at your dinner party, to be around her. She was excited about each day, every Block weekend, her family, her work, that dress she tried on. It has not been lost on me this week what the world has lost. She was one of those people. The really special ones."

Melanie Douglass, a longtime friend and fellow teacher, shared her heartfelt memories. "Cindy was the lifeblood of Greenport school. Having graduated from a school that showed her such love, she wanted to come back and do the same. She did that and so much more. Her love knew no bounds. Students just flocked to her and that bond extended far after graduation. She would often come back and show us pictures from weddings, showers, quinceaneras. You name it, she was there. She was always there."

She added: "Cindy was an amazing friend. She was the one who rallied, often getting all her families together; blood family, boat family, and school family. I was blessed to be one of them. Her advice and thoughts were always straight, never sugar coated. Her laughter and joy filled the room. If you were part of her crew you were forever," she said. "Cindy was a devoted mother, wife, daughter, and sister. She loved her family more than anything on this earth. I hope they can find comfort in all the people that loved her and the memories that are shared. Cindy was one of a kind. Her spirit and energy will not be replaced."

Former student Shyane Jones spoke through tears at the vigil held for a teacher who'd become a guiding light.

"Mrs.Goldsmith believed in me more than I believed in myself. She pushed me to always be my best and to do my best. I never do well with people passing, not sure that anyone does. But, this one, this one right here hurts more than ever. . . She was that ray of sunshine you needed to

get you through any day. Her smile. Her charisma. She was warm, loving and caring. She was
always thinking about the next person. Always, always, putting people before her. I hope that in
my lifetime I am half the person Cindy was."

Speaking to Patch, she added: "She had so much life ahead of her. This wasn't supposed to be her story. . . I just wish that I had one more day with her. But, until we meet again, may she rest in eternal peace."