Cynthia Styles (nee Ashton), who had covered Surrey’s performing arts world as a contributor to the Now and Leader newspapers, died on Dec. 1. She was 85.

Styles wrote freelance stories about music and dance, mostly, from the early 1980s until the mid-2010s, with the byline Cynthia Ashton and sometimes under the column header Ashton on the Arts.

Mark Styles said his mother “attempted to bring the good news of the performing arts occurring in Vancouver to the residents of Surrey, and other South Fraser suburbs,” he wrote in an email.

“The goal was reciprocal, to grow audiences in Vancouver and likewise entice the VSO and other organizations to perform remotely to reach a young audience in Surrey. Meanwhile, it turned out that ‘the performers’ in town were occasionally from the Valley anyway, so many news stories were features about local residents performing in Vancouver, and in later years nationally and internationally.”

In 1976 Cynthia and husband James (Jim) moved their young family to Surrey from London, England. She performed in theatre and concert productions and later turned her attention to writing about such performances for local newspapers. Styles also worked as a realtor.

“Unfortunately, Cynthia had not been in good physical or mental health for several years (she had a stroke in 2014), so was not nearly as involved in the last decade,” reported Mark, a North Surrey resident.

A celebration of life/requiem for Styles is planned Saturday, Dec. 16, starting at 10:30 a.m. at St Helen’s Anglican Church, 10787 108 Ave., Surrey.

“In lieu of flowers,” an obituary says, “please make a donation to Canadian Cancer Society or Heart and Stroke Foundation. Or to celebrate Cynthia’s passion for the performing arts in Surrey, just step out to see the Surrey Children’s Choir or Surrey Youth Symphony or Surrey Festival of Dance or some other groups of capable performers show off their own passion for the performing arts in the Surrey today.”