Richard F. Cyphers

1/29/26

Richard F. Cyphers went home to be with his Lord and Savior on January 29, 2026. Upon entering heaven, he saw his wife Suzanne and loved ones with his restored eyesight: no longer blind. Dick, as he liked to be called, was born on December 20, 1939, to Arlene and Lynn Cyphers of Syracuse.

He graduated in 1957 from Onondaga Valley Academy. Dick enjoyed getting together and keeping in touch with his classmates over the years. In July of 1957, he joined and proudly served in the US Navy where Dick was a radio intel operator, until his discharge in 1963.

After returning from service, Dick met and married Suzanne Ingraham Cyphers. They had four children and early on moved to Skaneateles, NY where they started a tree nursery and landscape business. Skaneateles has been home ever since. Dick worked for New York Telephone Company for almost 30 years.

Dick’s father and uncles instilled a great appreciation and love for nature and the outdoors. He was an avid hunter and fisherman and shared this passion with others over the years. Dick was a faithful friend, mentor and father figure to many. He loved to tell jokes and it has been said that, “most of the time, he could even make a bad joke good”. Dick was passionate about his family, friends, and his relationship with God.

Despite losing his eyesight 10 years ago, Dick continued to live his life fully, not letting the blindness keep him from spending time with people and doing the things he enjoyed. This was a testimony to his faith and an inspiration to all who knew him. Dick would often sit on the front porch, waving to passersby who would call out his name or honk their horn. He will be greatly missed but lives on in the hearts of us all.

Dick was predeceased by his wife and parents. He is survived by his four children- Jeffrey (Margaret) of Grantham NH and children Jonathan, Joshua (Christine) and Michael (Jill); Wendy Hamilton of Keeseville NY and children Matthew (Natalie), Danielle (Kyle), Amanda (Renato) and Caleb; Pamela of Skaneateles; and Scott of Huntley IL and children Emma (Adam) and Grace (Christian); sister Marilynn (David) Ellison of Camillus. Affectionately, he was called “Old Man” by his seven great grandchildren.

Calling hours will be Friday, February 6, 2026, from 3-5 pm, at the Robert D. Gray Funeral Home in Skaneateles, NY. A celebration of life will take place in the Spring of 2026.

In lieu of flowers, take a quiet walk in the woods allowing God’s creation to fill you with gratitude.

The family would like to thank the extraordinary caregivers and nurses who made Dick’s final days at home peaceful and comforting. They were only in our lives for a short time, but will never be forgotten.

Over the last decade, there have been so many friends and family that have stepped up and extended themselves to help in so many ways. It is difficult to find sufficient words to thank you and tell you how much you mean to us. We are forever grateful.

A special thank you to Anne. You are truly a gift from God. We will never forget all that you did for dad and for us. We love you.

To send condolences, visit: robertdgrayfuneralhome.com.