In Memory: Sylvia Vance

Sylvia Vance was a long-time friend and contributor to Camp Fire and Camp Wyandot, beginning in the 1960’s.  She led both Blue Bird and Camp Fire groups for Mary and then for Sara while also teaching at Otterbein College.  Once her daughters got a taste of camp at Camp Cherokee Day Camp and at Wyandot, she agreed to taking family vacations as camping trips.  She made sure that both daughters were able to go to camp every year, bringing home fond memories, new friends – and camp laundry.  When she was named Woman of the Year by the Otterbein College Women’s Club, the program concluded with camp songs sung by her daughters and friends.  She was able to celebrate her 96th birthday on Christmas Eve with her daughters.

We’ve never heard a Barred Owl while sitting in our living room on a beautiful snowy winter evening…

…but we did last night!

…about an hour after arriving home from watching mom cross the river to the other side.

The Hospice angel turned out the overhead light, turned on the warm bedside lamp, I had my hand on her forehead, and Jenny was singing one of her poems.

Sweet dreams, mom
Sylvia
Doctor
Poet
Member of Sigma Alpha Tau sorority, also known as “The Owls”

To My Children

Three things
I wish for you.
May your griefs be rivers
You will cross but will not follow
Drifting

May love
Become through you
An ocean’s endless tide
Whose ebb and flow is constant on
Your shore

And last-
May each new spring
Hold all the wonder of
The rushing brook upon whose banks
You dreamed

-Sylvia Vance