Obituary
Sylvia Romaine Lacy was born 12 May, 1942 in Mobile, Alabama. As a young child she moved to Texas with her mother and grandmother. Sylvia was placed in an orphanage at the age of 5 after WWII. She grew up in a stressful environment until her mother returned to take her back when she was 14 years old. When she turned 18 years old, she decided to do some traveling. Being young with no working experience, she decided to joined the Navy in 1960. The Navy suited her well as she embarked on a new life with adventure, travel, new friendships, and learning a new trade.
Sylvia was sent to bootcamp at Bainbridge, Maryland. After graduation, she attended Personnelman (PN) School in San Diego, then transferred to start her adventure. Throughout her years, in the Navy she served not only as a PN, but did a tour of duty in Seattle, Washington as a Navy Recruiter, served as a Company Commander (Trained Recruits) at the Recruit Training Command Orlando, served a tour in Morocco at the American Embassy, and served as Chief Personnalman aboard the USS Samuel Gompers (AD- 37 ). She was happy serving her country during the Vietnam War and Cold War as she felt it was necessary to support the troops and our nation. During her service she was awarded Six Good Conduct Awards, the National Defense Ribbon/Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Overseas Ribbon, Navy Expeditionary Medal, and the Navy Recruiting Service Ribbon issued after her retirement. She loved the Navy, and got to experience travel in the Far East to the Middel East and from Europe to Australia. Sylvia obtained the rank of Chief Personnelman (E-7) and completed over 25 years in the Navy, retiring November 01, 1985.
After retirement from the Navy, she stayed in San Diego for a few years working various jobs, including working as a salesman, for a well -known, vacuum sweepers company. She sold the sweepers to all her military friends, then decided to move to Phoenix, Arizona. Her friends still believe she left San Diego just in case the sweepers went on the blink. In Phoenix, Sylvia worked at Auto Zone, but unfortunately developed glaucoma in one eye and macular degeneration in the other eye. She couldn’t drive a car anymore and that put a damper on her partying.
When this happened, she decided in 2014 to move again, a little closer to her Navy friends in Winter Park, Florida. When she arrived, her friends encouraged her to go attend classes for the blind. Syliva did attend the classes to help her cope with blindness. She never complained about her physical problems and always would say she was alright regardless of what pain she was in. She kept a sense of humor about her life and said she guessed she was trying out new things including diseases.
Along Syliva’s journey, she had several medical issues including Glaucoma, Macular Degeneration, Rheumatoid Arthritis, COPD, an Aortic Aneurysm, A-FIB, and Lung Cancer. Her last two years, Sylvia had to be on oxygen 24/7 and couldn’t walk. She moved into the State Veterans Home two years ago, so she would have 24- hour care. Sylvia succumbed to viral pneumonia and her kidneys gave out. She was a fighter, but could not survive everything hitting her at once.
Sylvia was proceeded in death by her mother Venera Mae Lacy, Mobile, Alabama. She is survived by her military friends in Winter Park, Florida: Sharon Breece, Sharon Whisonant, Delores Hill, Leigh Whisonant, and Jan Sevc of Centerville, Texas. Additionally, she received emotional support from her friends Helen and Junior Armen of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Daria and John Semtak, Mt. Pleasant, Pennsylvania, and Chuck and Paula Armen, of Cranberry, Pennsylvania, over many years of friendship.
Many thanks to the staff of Alywin C. Cashe State Veterans Home for their great care and support. Also, for the ICU, Emergency personnel and Hospice working at the Advent Winter Park Memorial Hospital. Many thanks for your professionalism and care. If you would like to contribute to some of Sylvia’s favorite causes, give support to St. Judes Children Research Hospital and the Military Women’s Memorial in Washington D.C.
One of Sylvia's proudest moments that she shared with our family.
Many may not know this but Sylvia loved to fish. While in Seattle she took me fishing out on the Puget Sound. Even with nothing being caught that day we both enjoyed it very much.
During Her last trip to PA. we relived that moment with my father and I taking Sylvia out on the lake where my parents had a place. Ever fish hooked that day was reeled in by her allowing her to experience the fight of the fish pulling and tugging making that big smile of hers come out. Since her vision was limited at the time she wanted to hold ever fish before we released it. Her smile never disappeared that day and the stories she told about it was as you can expect from any fisher-person the truth (nod-nod wink-wink )..
The Bible say upon passing our new heavenly bodies will no longer be subject to sickness or pain or death, and we will be able to serve God in ways we never could have imagined.
Rest in Peace Aunt Sylvia, Rest in Peace
Sylvia and I on vacation