"I worked with Sylvia and Dr Lake at Valley Women's clinic for 4+ years and Sylvia and I remained friends until her death. She was a wonderful mentor, friend and human being. She had a wonderful sense of humor and was the consummate professional. Her patients loved her:) One of my memories of Sylvia was when she worked w/ Dr Lake and had to send a letter to a patient and she'd go into the office w/ a notepad/pen to take his verbal dictation and she said she always felt like Carol Burnett playing Mrs. Wiggins:) Sylvia and I were both diagnosed w/ cancer around the same time and she was my rock when I had to have testing or just needed someone to talk to and I hope I was the same for her. She will be greatly missed by me but I am SO happy I knew Sylvia. My life is better because of her. "
In loving memory of
Sylvia Lenore Birdwhistell
September 17, 1933 - July 29, 2015
Sylvia Lenore (Duzsik) Birdwhistell passed away on July 29, 2015 in Seattle, WA. She began her life on September 17, 1933 in West Bank, British Columbia, Canada. After high school, she attended St Paul Nursing School in Vancouver, B.C. and graduated in 1955. She then moved to San Francisco and began a nursing career that would span 47 years.
While in California, she met Robert "Bob" Birdwhistell to whom she married in February 1957. The couple moved to Tennessee where she began a long-standing position as the OB/GYN nurse for Dr. Julian Reagan of Oak Ridge. During this time, she also became a loving mother to 2 children and is survived by Robert Wayne Birdwhistell of Yelm, WA and Janet "Pooh" Schrader of Westland, MI. When Bob accepted a position with the Boeing Company, the couple moved back to the west coast and Sylvia was, once again, close to her beloved Canada.
In Renton, WA, she was given the position as Office Nurse for Dr. Melvin Lake and would keep that position until her retirement in 2002.
She will be remembered as a devoted wife of 58 years, a caring mother, a loyal friend, a skilled healer, a talented craftswoman, an avid sports fan, and a master gardener.
She was also a supporter of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and a charitable donation in her name would be greatly appreciated.
An intimate gathering of family and friends will be announced at a later date.