Cindy Busler, 70, of Oregon, passed away Friday, March 20, 2026.

Lucinda “Cindy” Busler was born Nov. 19, 1955, in Carrollton to Sandra (Simmons) Busler and John Ralph Busler. She is survived by her sister, Susan Busler of Dallas, Oregon.

She was raised in Carrollton, where she grew up on a small farm raising and showing Shropshire and Hampshire sheep at county fairs in Ohio and Pennsylvania. She and her sister helped pay their way through college by fitting and showing sheep. She was a 1973 graduate of Carrollton High School.

Busler attended The Ohio State University, earning degrees in rural sociology and agricultural education in 1977 and music and theater in 1979. She taught in Carrollton for four years, including vocational agriculture during the 1979-80 school year and music education from 1981-83. In 1981, she was selected for a Rotary Fellowship to study music at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada.

In the summer of 1983, she moved to the Pacific Northwest with her sister, Suzi, settling in the Federal Way, Washington, area. She taught in the Federal Way, Highline, Puyallup, Kelso and Auburn school districts, working with students in kindergarten through 12th grade in music and drama. She was known for her creative plays and musicals, as well as her work with adolescent male voices. She later earned a master’s degree in music education from Pacific Lutheran University.

In addition to her work in music, Busler developed leadership and organizational skills and obtained an administrator certificate and reading endorsement. She served two years as director of the Huntington Learning Center in Tacoma, Washington. She earned a doctorate in curriculum development from Capella University in 2017. Her dissertation focused on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports for managing challenging behaviors.

Busler was a gifted teacher known for her sense of humor and ability to connect with students. In addition to classroom teaching, she gave private voice lessons for more than four decades. She also directed numerous church choirs over the years and led the Rainier Chorale for more than seven years, including a performance at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City.

She also spent more than two decades raising and showing Labrador retrievers. Her experience with livestock judging led to involvement with Puget Sound Labrador breeders, assisting with judging and organizing events. She later worked with Pet Partners to help develop a national curriculum for its animal-assisted therapy program.

In 2013, she took early retirement and moved to Oregon to help care for her mother, who died in 2021.

Busler’s health declined in recent years, and she entered a care facility in 2024.

She enjoyed life in the Pacific Northwest but remained a devoted Ohio State fan throughout her life.

She was cremated at her request, and no services will be held. Memorial contributions may be made to the Busler Family Memorial through the Stark Community Foundation, 400 Market Ave. N, Suite 200, Canton, Ohio 44702, 330-454-3426 or starkcf.org/give-busler. A scholarship fund will be established for nontraditional students returning to further their education.