Sylvia Hadowanetz died on August 24, 2018 in Gainsville, Virginia. She was born on August 9, 1925 in Franklin, New Jersey to Lillie Harry Stephens and Sam Stephens. Her parents were from Redruth, Cornwall, England.

She leaves her beloved husband of 52 years, Wasco Hadowanetz, her two daughters and their husbands, Marjorie Griffin Cohen and husband Michael Goldrick and Katherine Thomas and husband David Thomas. Her extended family included four grandchildren and their spouses: grandson Sam Cohen and his wife Nikki Marks, granddaughter Anne Marie Whang and her husband Ken Whang, granddaughter Sophie Cohen and husband Brian Ptashnik, and granddaughter Bronwyn Hershberger and husband Todd Hershberger. She also has nine great grandchildren: Hannah Whang, Celyn Whang, Sukey Ptashnik, Devlin Ptashnik, Zoe Marks Cohen, Talia Cohen, Joseph Hershberger, Sarah Hershberger, and Madelynn Hershberger. Her younger brother Russell Stephens pre-deceased her.

Sylvia lived in Franklin until after her marriage to Harry Griffin, and in her early 20s they moved to Ogdensburg where she lived for the rest of her active life. Sylvia was widowed at 28 with two children to support and did this through working at Picatinny Arsenal as the head of the procurement office for supplies from small businesses.

Throughout her life she was active in the social life of Ogdensburg and Franklin. She loved to sing and like her mother Lillie, had a good strong alto voice. She sang in many choirs including those at the Ogdensburg and Franklin Presbyterian churches, the Sussex Country Oratorio Society, and the Community Coral Society in Vernon. She loved collecting old Cornish hymns and worked on the Cornish newspaper and as secretary to the Cornish History Society East. Pasties were her favourite food and she was expert at making these, sausage rolls, and saffron cake in the traditional Cornish way. Sylvia loved to travel and an early retirement for her and Wasco allowed them to travel around the world. They had a long and happy life together and Sylvia supported Wasco’s volunteer work as Ogdensburg town historian and through being an active member of the Ogdensburg Historical Society.

Her life was enriched by the connection with her nieces and their families, Connie Flannagan, Valerie O’Brian, and Dawn Stephens. Over the years Sylvia and Wasco had an active social life, and in later years were especially grateful for the help of younger friends in Ogdensburg, like Dianna and John Kibildis. Sylvia had a long life and while she experienced declining health in her 90s, most of her life was lived in good health, with loving family ties, and by having a strong sense of connection to her community. She loved life and lived it well.

A funeral will be held at St. Thomas Aquin RC Church, 53 Kennedy Avenue, Ogdensburg, NJ in a joint ceremony with the Franklin Presbyterian Church on Saturday, September 1, 2018 at 10 am.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers that donations be made to either the Ogdensburg First Aid Squad or the Ogdensburg Fire Department.