Sylvia Diane Thomas was born in Mount Vernon, New York on September 27, 1949. Surrounded by love she passed away peacefully at home on the night of September 30, 2024 while listening to her favorite gospel music station. The family was grateful to have celebrated her 75th birthday a few days before her passing. It gave the family a warm lasting memory to see Sylvia display her beautiful smile.
Sylvia was the youngest of three children born of Juanita Brock and Jesse West. Her siblings are Pastor Jesse T. West, and the late Larry West.
As a child, Sylvia attended Grimes Elementary School and then went on to graduate from Mount Vernon High School. After graduation, she went to Atlantic Union College in Massachusetts but paused her education after the first year. It was later on in life that she returned to school as a working mother and graduated with honors from Adelphi University in Garden City, Long Island, NY. Sylvia worked for Citibank as a Word Processing Supervisor and it was Citibank that paid for her college education at Adelphi University.
Sylvia Married the late Malvyn Thomas in 1972. They had one child, Elizabeth Thomas Owens. Sylvia was an active member of the Mount Vernon Seventh Day Adventist church in New York for many years where she served heavily in children’s ministries. She helped teach the lower division classes, juniors, earliteens and youth. She also directed the children’s choir and gave each of them musical instruments for the Children’s Rhythm Band, which she founded. She was full of fun and excitement and her goal was to share the joy of the Lord with children.
The church position that she is most well known for, is telling the children’s bible stories on Sabbath. Sylvia was everyone’s favorite bible storyteller, and she was known to all the children as Auntie Sylvia. She was so creative and was ahead of her time in presenting her stories by using props, music, goodie bags, balloons, backdrops, sound effects, and tons of energy that captivated the children’s attention.
At the age of 36, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, which gave her many physical struggles in life. But she still gave unwavering praise to God and was still thankful for every blessing. Sylvia maintained her job with Citibank as long as she could, and also remained faithful to her commitment to the children. When her disability reached a higher level, and she was no longer able to work, she knew it was time to leave NY to be closer to her daughter. So she moved to Alabama, Kentucky and Tennessee as her daughter pursued educational goals in those states.
Sylvia was very active in numerous churches throughout the years. Some of them are the Mount Vernon SDA Church, Madison Mission SDA Church in Huntsville Alabama, Shiloh SDA Church in Cincinnati, South Nashville SDA Church in TN, and Riverside SDA Church in Nashville TN. But no matter what state she lived in she found her way into the children’s ministries department and passionately taught young minds of the love of God.
As a current member of the Riverside Seventh Day Adventist Church, she was known for sitting up front in her wheelchair with her tambourine giving praise throughout the worship service. Even when her hands gave out, she continued to praise God and give him glory with her voice in song and shouting “Amen”. Sylvia was a woman of unapologetic praise and her heart was full of joy. She had an unforgettable smile that would light up the room.
Sylvia is survived by her daughter Elizabeth Owens, son-in-love Charles Owens, brother Jesse West with wife Bettie, grandchildren RJ Clay and wife Elianny, Hunter Clay, Jasmine Clay and Bryce Owens, great-granddaughter Naomi Clay, nephews/niece Jay West, Yohance West, Kushatha Quire and their spouses, and a host of loving relatives, caring friends and many generations of church members from all over. Well done, thou good and faithful servant!
A service to celebrate her life will be held at Roselawn Funeral Home in Murfreesboro, TN on October 20, 2024. The family is requesting that those attending wear white.
Family and friends are invited to visitation from 10:00 am to 11:30 am. The funeral service will begin at 11:30 am, with burial to follow in Roselawn Memorial Gardens. This will be followed with refreshments in the reception hall. https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/murfreesboro-tn
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