Sylvia Marie Kidd Elzinga

Sylvia Marie Elzinga passed away Saturday morning at the young age of 67. She will be lovingly missed by her family and friends; especially her three children, Dave (Laurel), Craig (Lynne) and John (Cathy); her eight grandchildren: Jack, Jake, Sarah, Tommy, Catherine, Francie, Michael and Emily; and her brother Larry (Donita).

Sylvia was born on November 19, 1941, to Grace and Earl Kidd in Beloit, Wisconsin. At the age of 4, she moved to Racine with her parents and brother Larry. She attended Mitchell Elementary and Junior High Schools. After graduating from Washington Park High School in 1959, she married Dennis Elzinga and began a family.

While raising three young boys, Sylvia began her career with Chartwells in 1973 where she worked for the next 34 years until she retired in 2007. She made many friends during her time with the School District Lunch program and enjoyed her work.

After Sylvia’s children all graduated from college, she became an avid golfer and bowler. Over the past 10 years, Sylvia enjoyed visiting her grandchildren in Seattle, Indianapolis and Chicago, volunteering her time through Covenant Presbyterian Church for HALO (Homeless Assistance Leadership Organization), traveling to Europe and the Caribbean, and spending time with her family and many friends in Racine.

Over the last six months, Sylvia learned that she had pancreatic cancer and faced her challenge with courage and dignity. Despite the odds, she wanted to be the person to overcome this disease, fighting every day to win. During this time, she had many good days enjoying her family and friends. In the end, she was at peace with her life and was ready to join her parents in heaven.

The family would like to extend a special thanks to the following people who played an important role in the last six months of Sylvia’s life: Ruth Kern, Elaine Chalmers, Jan and John Elzinga, Dr. Mullane and his caring staff and all the great nurses at Wheaton Franciscan Hospital.

Memorial Service will be held on Monday, March 16, 2009, at 4 p.m. at Covenant Presbyterian Church, 40 Ohio St. A reception will follow to greet friends and family. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Michael Rolfe Pancreatic Cancer Foundation, which has been established to discover a method for early detection of the disease. Donations can be sent to: Michael Rolfe Pancreatic Cancer Foundation, 910 West Van Buren St., 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60607 312-492-7337.

Maresh-Meredith & Acklam Funeral Home
803 Main St., Racine 262-634-7888