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 19th, at noon, with burial at the Clawson family plot in at the Curtis Cemetery in Curtis, Nebraska at 4:00 p.m. on May 23rd, 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.
