Mrs. Sylvia Spence was born June 26, 1946. After her mom and dad lost a son prior to her birth, they were elated to have this precious little dark-haired girl. Especially her dad; and from that day forward they were inseparable. She was his angel and she knew it. Spoiled rotten, but so loved.
She graduated from Parksley High School in 1964 and from there moved to Salisbury, Md., where she attended Jefferson School of Commerce. She became an excellent typist and her shorthand was impeccable. While there, she met and dated several young men, but when Paige Spence caught her eye, that was it for her. She fell in love with this tall, dark, handsome guy and he with her. It didn’t take long until they knew it was right and they married. They moved into their very first home and started their life together, both working at Holly Farms and enjoying vacations in Ocean City, Md. She had a green thumb and loved gardening. Her vegetable gardens thrived and she always gave more away than she kept, as was Sylvia’s style – always thinking of others. Although she had met her Prince Charming, there was still a place in her heart for the man who had loved her first, her Daddy. When Paige and Sylvia weren’t together, you’d find Sylvia with him. He was her hero and they enjoyed their time together. It was evident she was still daddy’s girl.
Sylvia never met a stranger in her life and was loved by all who met her. She had a heart for people and would help anyone, even if it meant doing without herself. She was genuine and people like her are rare in this world.
She loved life, loved to laugh, and no matter what life threw her way, she met it head on with a smile, knowing that tomorrow would be better than today. Her positive attitude got her through many tough times in her life. One of those happened in May 1984, when the man who loved her first died unexpectedly. It was a tragic loss for Sylvia, and truly a piece of her heart left with him that day. Then, as fate would have it, just five years later she lost her Prince Charming to cancer. The two most important men in her life were now gone.
It was just her and her mom, and she began dedicating her life caring for her in true Sylvia style. By this time she had retired from Holly Farms and had started her own cleaning service, cleaning homes and at times caring for folks who needed a meal cooked or just a kind word. Then in July 1995, the unimaginable happened and her mother passed away. She was alone for the first time in her life.
In the years that followed, men came and went in her life but no one could ever take the place of her Prince Charming.
As the years moved on, Sylvia began to not feel well and diabetes reared its ugly head. It began to take a toll on her physically. Her eyesight began to deteriorate and finally she became legally blind. Her steps became slower and she needed a cane to walk. It affected her in so many ways and the things that she once loved so much, she had to leave behind. She had to succumb to a very dark world, dependent on others. That was so hard on her because she had always been a caregiver and a lover of life. In true Sylvia style, whenever you spoke with her, she always knew she was going to regain her sight and looked forward to once again doing the things she loved the most.
However, on Aug. 5, 2021, at 9:55 p.m., Sylvia changed her address from Tasley to a place called heaven. There is no doubt today she is seeing things that only we can imagine and is once again reunited with the man who loved her first and her Prince Charming.
Those who knew and loved her were blessed. For those who didn’t have the privilege of knowing this special human being, you truly missed out.
Sylvia is survived by a cousin, Yvonna Wessels, and her husband, Walter, of Salisbury; and two dear friends, Elsie Carpenter, of Hallwood, and Sandra Fitchett, of Parksley.
Sylvia is preceded in death by her husband, Paige Spence; her parents, Jeff and Flossie Byrd; her paternal grandparents, Roy and Narcissus Byrd; and her maternal grandparents, Lewis and Zanie Spence.
No service is planned at this time. Interment will be private.
Funeral services are by Thornton Funeral Home in Parksley.
