WICOMICO CHURCH—Sylvia Ann Anstine of Wicomico Church and Punta Gorda, Fla., peacefully passed away on August 20 at Bayfront Hospital in Punta Gorda.
She had Parkinson’s for over 15 years with little complications, but she ultimately succumbed quickly to late stage Parkinson’s after several seizures.
Sylvia was born on December 17, 1940, to Frank and Jesse Turner in the Blackbird Leys section of Oxford, England. After Sylvia graduated from Secondary school she moved to the United States where she worked as a nanny in Ohio.
Upon the death of her father, she returned to England where she met and married her husband, Lowell Anstine, who was serving in the United States Air Force at the time. In 1968 they adopted Mark Anstine as an infant. The family travelled extensively living in Turkey and the Philippines and eventually settled in Maryland.
Sylvia was always involved and active no matter where she was. During Lou’s service she was active in British Wives Club, pottery clubs and bowling teams among others. In 1975-76 she was a volunteer at Clark Air Base on the airlift of child refugees fleeing Vietnam and the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia.
In Maryland, Sylvia worked as an executive assistant at Zayre Department stores until her retirement in 1991. Once both Lou and Sylvia retired in 1991, they moved to Wicomico Church on the Chesapeake Bay. In 2010, they also bought a condo in the Emerald Pointe Community in Punta Gorda, and proceeded to become snow birds.
In both locations she was always very involved volunteering in her church and community. She cherished their large groups of friends in both locations.
At Wicomico Parish Church (est 1647) she was one of the first women in the long history of the church to serve on it’s vestry. She also volunteered at its thrift store and for many years was very involved in the annual lasagna dinner fundraiser.
In 1994, Sylvia became a naturalized citizen of the United States. As proud as she was to be from Britain, she was also very proud to become an American citizen and of her adopted country. She always voted and volunteered to be a poll worker in many elections.
She loved to be social and was always the life of the party. Sylvia had many interests which included boating on the Chesapeake Bay, travel, gardening, going on cruises, and spending time with family and friends.
Sylvia was predeceased by her siblings, Ron and Sheila.
She is survived by her husband of 55 years, Lou; her son, Mark; her daughter-in-law, Marianna; and her two treasured grandchildren, Max and Wysh, whom she was very proud of.
A service will be announced when scheduled at Wicomico Parish Church in Wicomico Church. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Parkinson.org in her memory, https://www3.parkinson.org/goto/Sylvia_Anstine.
