Individual Details

Death

Sylvia Ann (Simutis) Therrien went to God on Thursday, May 4, 2006, with her husband, Roger, at her bedside. Sylvia was born on March 31, 1922, in Brockton, Mass., to Leon and Ywalda Simutis, a wonderful Lithuanian family. She graduated from Brockton High School in 1940 and beauty school and worked as a beautician until 1948. Sylvia married her best friend, Jean Roger Therrien, Nov. 8, 1942, at the Polish Catholic Church in Brockton. They enjoyed 64 wonderful years of marriage. Sylvia moved to Newport, R.I., in 1943 while Roger was in the Army. Until 1944 she was an inspector of engineering materials, following her husband to Indianapolis and Tacoma. Sylvia returned to Brockton as a Navy inspector at Ward Machine Co. in Campello, until the war’s end. She returned to her beautician work until 1949, moving to East Hartford, Conn. Valerie was born Dec. 20, 1951, and Alan was born Jan. 26, 1954. The family lived in Windsor, Conn., in 1955 and lived in Mattapan (Boston) Mass. from 1965 until 2004, recently moving to Woburn, Mass., with Alan. Sylvia worked long hours at her parents’ restaurant and hotel, the Sandwich Beach Lodge, Sandwich, Cape Cod, Mass., from 1965 until the mid-’70s. She was a devoted Catholic and she sent her children to Catholic schools.Sylvia raised her children to be strong Democrats and was one of the first “feminists,” believing her daughter could do anything she wanted. Sylvia and Roger retired to Clearwater Beach, Fla., and lived with her father until he passed away in 1991 at the age of 93. They enjoyed the beach, plays, opera, Busch Gardens and attending church every week. Visits from the children and grandchildren, friends and relatives were always welcome. Sylvia was a great cook and always celebrated the holidays with a great meal. She always remembered your birthday and was a true “grandmother” with cards, presents, telephone calls and letters. Selling their home on the beach, Sylvia and Roger moved to the Lakeside Trailer Park in 2000, in Clearwater, Fla., enjoying the community activities and played bridge weekly. Sylvia took many wonderful trips with and without Roger to Fairbanks, touring lots of Alaska and helping Valerie with the girls. Sylvia loved visiting with her daughter and grandchildren, seeing her granddaughters play soccer and perform in the North Star ballet. After she become ill, she visited her home in Woburn, seeing friends and relatives and celebrating her 84th birthday, organized by Alan. She visited with her son and grandchildren, Lana, Leon and Renee Therrien and her longtime friend Mary Zubrycki and other family members in the Brockton area. Sylvia moved with her husband, Roger, to Fairbanks on March 29, 2006, living with Valerie and her family, for medical treatment. Her husband and children, Alan and Valerie, and her grandchildren, Danielle and Aleona and Fairbanks friends celebrated her life during Mass at Immaculate Conception Church on Tuesday, May 6. Her cremains will be buried with her parents in Pocasset, Mass.