Cynthia Borden (Ayers) Prince died peacefully on April 20, 2022 in Ponte Vedra, Florida, one week shy of her 99th birthday. Born and raised in Washington, DC, Cynthia graduated from Madeira School and Smith College. A lifelong educator, she was an administrator and tutor at Potomac School and Madeira School, both in Virginia, as well as a volunteer extraordinaire. As the wife of Ted Ayers, CBS Founding Producer of Face the Nation and later, of Gregory Prince, General Counsel for the Association of American Railroads and noted athlete, she led a stimulating life in the hubbub of Washington DC.
Although diminutive in size, Cynthia was admired for her energy, flair, creativity, and “can do” attitude. Never shy about making a fashion statement, she was a ‘walking advertisement’ for her daughter-in-law's shop, The Lemon Twist, located in Ponte Vedra Beach!
At Vicar’s Landing, the retirement community in Ponte Vedra, FL where she lived for over 30 years, she volunteered in countless ways. Her love of reading and education, coupled with her strong beliefs that instilling a strong interest in reading was critical to children’s learning in the early years, led to the founding of Readers Aloud in which senior citizens read to elementary school classrooms. For 25 years the program flourished under her leadership. Acknowledged as the St. John’s County FL Senior Volunteer of the Year on more than one occasion, she handed off her leadership role on her 90th birthday. Cynthia was also instrumental in founding The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst MA, on the campus of Hampshire College. For several years she served on The Chapter of the Washington National Cathedral, her family’s parish. Her mantra, taken from her grandmother Mrs. Lida Hollister (Samuel) Adams and lived to the fullest every day, was “justify your existence.”
She is predeceased by her parents, Brig. General William Ayres Borden and Dorothy Adams Borden; her husbands, Ted Ayers and Gregory Prince; a son, Edward M. (Ted) Prince; a grandson, Christian H. Prince; and two sisters, Dorothy (Penny) Borden Vickery (Hugh) and Ann Carlin Borden deMurias (Ramon); She is survived by her children; Gregory Prince, Jr (Toni) of Norwich VT; Sallie Ayers Barker (Stephen), of Springfield NH; Wm. Borden Ayers (Mary) of Wilmot NH; and daughter-in-law Sally M. Prince of Chevy Chase MD and New London NH, along with 9 grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews, and her beloved partner Joe O’Gara.
A celebration of her life was held in Springfield NH in July. She was buried in Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington DC, in November. Donations in memory of Cynthia Borden Prince may be made to The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art (Amherst, MA) and the Washington National Cathedral (Washington, DC).
