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Sylvia June English

October 22, 1930 - May 14, 2009

Funeral Service: Tuesday, May 19, 2009, 12:00 noon

Downey First Presbyterian Church

10544 Downey Avenue

Downey, CA 90241

Luncheon with the family immediately following

Burial Service: Saturday, May 23, 2009 in Curtis, Nebraska

Visitation: 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Blase-Wetzel-Strauser Memorial Chapel

317 Center Avenue

Curtis, NE 69025

Graveside Service: 4:00 p.m.

Curtis Cemetery, 74664 Road #391, Curtis, NE 69025

Reception following burial at:

United Methodist Church, 402 Center Avenue, Curtis, NE 69025

Flowers for the Curtis, NE services can be sent to:

Blase-Wetzel-Strauser Memorial Chapel

Cards and letters can be mailed to:

Edward A. English

13745 Old Morrow Road

Atascadero, Ca, 93422

Messages of condolence can be left for the family at: http://sylviaenglish.blogspot.com/

Donations in Sylvia’s memory can be sent to:

Escuela del Rio, P.O. Box 6007, Atascadero, CA 93423

A memorial service will be held at:

Atascadero Bible Church in Atascadero, CA in early June

Obituary

SYLVIA JUNE ENGLISH

Longtime Downey resident Sylvia English passed away Thursday, May 14, after a nine-month battle with leukemia. Sylvia June Clawson was born on October 22, 1930 into a large pioneer farming family in Curtis, Nebraska, one of eight children and thirty seven cousins.

Even though she moved to Los Angeles with her family in 1948, her beloved Nebraska remained her life-long passion and true home. In 1950, while attending Bethel Methodist Church, she met and married her husband, Edward A. ‘Ted” English. The growing family settled in Norwalk, where they lived for 25 years; they moved to Downey in 1983 where she was a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran and Downey First Baptist Churches. Active in Downey’s Christian community, she was employed at Joy Christian Book store, where her knowledge of biblical history and literature was well known; she served as President of the Downey Christian Women’s Club for many years.

In 1997, Sylvia and Ted moved to into a rural area of Atascadero, California. Always a farm-girl at heart, she once again enjoyed raising chickens and tending her garden and orchard. Sylvia was known for her garden and kitchen skills, famous for her apple pies, jams, rolls and particularly for her ‘Grandma’s Atomic Pickles’. During this time, Sylvia attended Atascadero Bible Church and served on the executive board of Escuela del Rio, an organization dedicate to providing for children and adults with special needs.

She is survived by her husband Ted, and eight children: Victoria (Ian) Smith, Scott (Debi), Deborah, Christine, Geoff (Celeste), Brian (Bernadette), Catherine (Mark) Robson, and Bruce (Joanne), in addition to brothers Delbert (Barbara) Clawson, Charles (Esther) Clawson and sisters Genevieve Megil, Zella Clawson and Alta Morelli. She is also survived by grand-children Gabrielle, Zachary, Landon, Brittany, Steven, Michael, Lauren, Julie, John, Tyler, Alithea, Lillian, Tess, Hannah, Jack, Sarah and Brett, as well as three great-grand children, nieces, nephews, and cousins too numerous to mention.

A funeral service will be held at First Presbyterian Church, Downey, California on Tuesday, May 19^th, at noon, with burial at the Clawson family plot in at the Curtis Cemetery in Curtis, Nebraska at 4:00 p.m. on May 23^rd, 2009. A memorial service will be held at the Atascadero Bible Church in Atascadero, California in early June.

Memories and condolences may be posted on http://sylviaenglish.blogspot.com/ or mailed to 8223 E. Suva, Downey CA 90240. Donations in her memory can be made to Escuela del Rio, P.O. Box 6007, Atascadero CA 93423.

Sylvia June Clawson English, Oct 22 1930 - May 14, 2009.

Our dear Sylvia left us to meet her maker yesterday, May 14th, at 11:42 am. It was peaceful and painless for her, as we had hoped. Ted, Vickie, Debi, Brian, Zachary, Sabine and Gabby were with her comforting her. We kept her with us until 8:22 last night so most of the family got an opportunity to be with her for one last time and say goodbye. Her brother Charlie said an amazing prayer and we all shared stories and laughed and cried together before they took her. It was how it was supposed to be. We are all going to miss her more than is expressible but we are glad she isn't hurting anymore.
The services will be held on Tuesday at noon at the First Presbyterian Church in Downey. Then Ted and all her kids will be driving her to Nebraska one last time so that her body can laid to rest where her heart has always been. There will be a grave side service at the Curtis Cemetery in Curtis, Nebraska on May 23rd at 4 o'clock.

Please feel free to to leave messages for her and the family here or you can email them and photos to englishsylvia@ymail.com.

To see photos of her life go to: http://www.flickr.com/photos/thechickenlady

Thank you for all of your love and support,

The English Family

A Message from Sylvia

Dear Friends and Family,

Just a note to let you how I am coming along. All the tests are proving that my Leukemia is in remission and so far no more mouth sores. I came home from UCLA Ronald Reagan Hospital last Friday evening. I'm still here at Vickie's house. I'm now able to walk around the house with my walker but I'm still very weak after four weeks in the hospital. My doctor told me that going into remission after only one round of chemotherapy, I was, in his words, "one lucky lady", but I know how many of you have been praying for me. Thank you for the many cards and expressions of concern. I have started two weeks of maintenance chemotherapy. Then I should be through. It has been a blessing hearing from you.

Love,
Sylvia

Treatment.

After continuing to experience some setbacks during the week, Sylvia went back into the hospital over the weekend. Her energy was draining and some of her sores had gotten worse. The good news is that her vitals and blood look great. There was, however, some concern that she would not be able to start the cancer treatments on Monday but, thankfully, she did. She had her first dose of chemotherapy on Monday night. She will have two weeks of, twice a day, shots and then have her bone marrow tested to see how she is responding to it. Please pray the test comes back showing that her white blood cells counts are holding and that the bone marrow has not gotten worse. That is the minimum required for her to be able to stay in this clinical trial she currently participating in. This is the time that she needs your prayers and support the most.

Reading all of her cards and letters are her favorite time of the day. Keep 'em coming. Also, she gets much pleasure from looking at photographs of family and friends. If you have any that you think she would enjoy please pass them along. She is trying to respond as much as she can. Her mail can still be sent to Vickie house.
Thank you for the love and care you all have shown to our beloved matriarch.

Home Again.

Sylvia was released from UCLA Hospital on Tuesday so that she could keep her appointment with the oncologist that morning. It was determined that traditional Chemotherapy may not be the best option for her. Instead, she may participate in a clinical trial. She is having some tests done on Friday morning to determine the final treatment plan. She is still having some issues with her digestion and the sores on her mouth, but her overall health is improving. She is proud to say, in her words, that she no longer walks like a bow-legged cow. She is regaining her strength daily.

Again, she is awed by the amount of love she is receiving. She now knows, without a shadow of a doubt, how important she is to so many. Thank you for the overwhelming show of love. We truly believe in the power of prayer and that God will give her the strength that she needs through the love and support of her friends and family.

A Snafu, a Thank You and a Move.

Sorry for the delayed update. It felt as though we were in a perpetual state of limbo so I wanted to wait to report until our dilemma was solved. Although Sylvia's Oncologist had asked for a transfer to UCLA, she simply wasn't sick enough to be given a bed there anytime soon as they are so 'impacted' with beds in high demand from all over the area. So, it seemed, she was just going to be released from Downey Community even though her infections are not fully healed. Sylvia was very concerned about that, knowing that it is critical that she continue to receive full-time medical care so that her symptoms do not reoccur as they did previously. After some very fancy footwork and help from friends, Debi found a new GP through UCLA. In the first phone call to Dr. Susan Charette's office they offered to transfer Sylvia to the brand new UCLA geriatric facility in Santa Monica where they had beds open! In Debi's words, it seemed "to good to be true". But, she made the move last night by ambulance. Vickie and Bruce accompanied her and said that her room is beautiful, quiet, and state of the art. She is very tired this morning because of the transfer and a multitude of tests that were done upon intake last night. However, when she has more energy, we are sure she will be walking up and down the halls with assistance as she had been doing at Downey Hospital. At UCLA she will be under excellent daily care for her health issues, and will also be provided close access to the world-class medical specialists that will heal her.

After two weeks of constant dedication and care, Cathy had to make her way home last Sunday. She was truly extraordinary , spending day and night taking care of her mother. We all appreciate the sacrifice her and her family made so that she could spend this time with Sylvia. Thank you Cathy. We miss your presence here.