Cynthia Leigh Nichols, age 72, of Douglasville, GA, passed away on Saturday, July 5, 2025. She was born on April 17, 1953, in Blue Ridge, GA. She retired from teaching with the Paulding County Board of Education, where she worked for 33 years. She was of the Baptist faith. She is preceded in death by her grandparents, George Edwin Nichols and Leslie Pauline Baugh Nichols; mother, Georgia Delores Collins; husband of more than 30 years, Terry LeBron Cates, Sr.; son, Terry LeBron Cates, Jr. and sister, Oweta Jean Nichols Allen.

Cynthia is survived by her siblings, Sherry Lynn Matthews-Walker and Thomas Edwin Nichols; nieces and nephews, Angell Dai Allen, Brian Jeffrey Matthews, and Karen Lynn Dabbs; and great-nieces and nephews, Dylan Mekenzie Allen, Skyler Aryanah Bauch, Morgan Lynn Dabbs, and Thomas Wiley Dabbs.

A funeral service was held on Thursday, July 10, 2025 at 2:00 PM from the Akins-Cobb Blue Ridge Chapel with Rev. Charlie Wellham officiating. Music was provided by Mrs. Pat Young. Interment  followed in the Toccoa Baptist Church Cemetery. Pallbearers were Dylan Allen, Brian Matthews, Austin Bauch, and T.W. Dabbs. The family visited with friends at the funeral home on Thursday afternoon from 12:00 PM until the service hour of 2:00 PM.

Condolences may be left online for the family at www.akinscobb.com.

Akins-Cobb Funerals & Cremations of Blue Ridge was in charge of the arrangements.