Lynda "Lynn" Imondi

Lynda “Lynn” Louise (Sipes) Imondi passed away on Sunday, November 26, 2023. 
Lynn was born on February 21, 1941, in Walters, Oklahoma, to James Bedford and Sadie Mary Ellen (Swinford) Sipes.

Her early years were spent traveling between Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico with her parents who were migrant workers. When she was twelve years old, her mother died tragically in an automobile accident. She and her siblings, older sister, Vickie, younger brother and sister Clifford and Carolyn were separated and went to live with relatives. Lynda was taken in by her Aunt Claudie and Uncle Raymond in Burkburnett, Texas. She attended Burkburnett High School where she played softball and volleyball and was on a track team.

While in high school, she worked at the soda fountain in Woolworth’s where she met a soldier, Joseph Imondi. They married when she was 18 and he took her off to Rhode Island, where she felt like a “fish out of water”. 

While in Rhode Island, she had three children: J. Michael Imondi, William J. Imondi (who died at birth) and Lynda Ann (Imondi) Cinquegrano. She and Joseph divorced and Lynda began working at several jobs, at one point, three at a time. 

She always enjoyed hunting and fishing and made several trips back to Oklahoma to visit her siblings. She was a great griller as well and a superb cook! As an octogenarian, she took up painting and became quite good at it!
Eventually she moved to Florida and began managing and then co-owning a Dunkin Donut franchise which she did for many years.

After selling her Dunkin Donuts, she entered the Corrections Academy at Seminole State College. Upon completion, she began working as a correctional officer at the Seminole County Jail. From there, she moved to the Juvenile Justice Center where she worked with at-risk youths and in the S.W.E.A.T. program for youths.

Lynda was very family oriented and was considered the glue that held the family together. She loved spending time with them and participating in family gatherings. Somewhere along the way, she and her daughter bought a horse. That was a great source of relaxation for her and was also how she met Sharon Saidi who became her companion for the next 30 years.

Late in life, Lynn was able to accomplish her life-long desire to be Baptized and joined Redeemer Lutheran Church, where she made a number of wonderful after-church coffee friends. She also participated faithfully in the Prayer Chain.

Lynda was preceded in death by her parents, James Bedford and Sadie Mary Ellen (Swinford) Sipes; sisters, Vickie Keeney and Carolyn Merritt; brother, Clifford James Sipes; sons, William J. Imondi and J. Michael Imondi.

She is survived by her children: daughter, Lynda Ann Cinquegrano; bonus children: Marwan Saidi (Elena), Riad Saidi (Susanna), Amin Saidi (Fernanda), and Naseem (Saidi) Kerr (David) and 3 grandchildren: Jerilyn Ann Cinquegrano, (Peter Colon); Vincent Philip Cinquegrano and Stephanie Lynn DePalma (Alan); 2 great-grandchildren: Destiney Arielle Colon; Vailynn Aria Cinquegrano and 3 great-great-grandchildren: Zion Ezekiel Colon-Smith; Adonis Prince Jones and Prodigy King Jones along with numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

A Visitation will be held on Friday, December 1, 2023, from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM at National Cremation and Burial Society, 7565 Red Bug Lake Road, Oviedo, FL 32765. Celebration of Life at 2:30 PM Sunday, December 3, 2023, at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 3377 Aloma Avenue, Winter Park, FL 32792. 

A Service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 5, 2023, with Rev. Bill Schneider officiating at Hart-Wyatt Funeral Home Chapel in Walters, Oklahoma where most of her family is interred. Viewing on Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with visitation from 12 noon to 2 p.m.