William Donald Sylvester, 84, of Poughkeepsie, NY, went home to be with Jesus on May 26, 2014, surrounded by his family. He is survived by Bertha, his wife of more than 60 years; his four children, seven grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, brothers Walter Sylvester of Lynnville and Howard and Richard of California, sister Rosa of Cedar Rapids, and numerous extended family and friends.
The two overarching themes that resonated throughout his life were faith and family.
He was a quiet servant whose life was characterized by his generous spirit and do-anything attitude. There was no problem he could not fix, using his ingenuity to resolve the issue regardless of the convention of the solution.
He hated to be idle and even in retirement, he worked as a handy man for Upton Lake Christian School. He gave of his time and talents to many church ministries.
His family members each have fond memories of moments that were quintessential Bill, Dad, Grandpa, etc. He reveled in family time traveling with his wife to every celebration whether it be a graduation, marriage, or anniversary around the United States.
His family is grateful that he is in a better, more comfortable place, but will miss having his steady presence in this life, looking forward to the day we will be reunited with him in heaven. We are inherently thankful for the time we had with him.
A remembrance service was held on Saturday, May 31, at 11 a.m. at the New Beginnings Alliance Church on Degarmo Road in Poughkeepsie, NY. Burial will be at a later date at Lynnville. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any donations be given to Upton Lake Christian School, P.O. Box 63, Clinton Corners, NY 12514.
