On Friday, February 5th, Sylvia Irene (Slater) Anderson passed away at age 92.

Sylvia was born in Davenport, Washington on November 20, 1928 to Leslie and Susan Slater. Sylvia grew up on her family’s wheat farm north of Davenport, Washington.  Sylvia was confirmed at the Zion Lutheran Church in Davenport and graduated from Davenport High School. Sylvia maintained close ties with Davenport and her high school classmates her entire life. Even while living in Seattle most of her adult life, Sylvia maintained her subscription to the Davenport Times newspaper and kept abreast of the news of her hometown.

After high school, Sylvia worked at the Davenport JC Penney store for a couple of years before moving to Seattle. In Seattle she worked at JC Penney during the day and several local theaters in the evenings.

Sylvia then moved to Akron, Ohio and spent several years working at a Ford dealership there. At the dealership, Sylvia had found her niche. She returned to Seattle and began working at Nelson Chevrolet in Ballard and worked there for many years until she retired. Every year during the Fall harvest season, with the permission of her employer, Mr. Nelson, Sylvia returned to the family farm in Davenport to help her father with the wheat harvest. Sylvia would drive the wheat truck next to the combine her father drove, harvesting the wheat until the work was done. She enjoyed doing this for many years, always returning to Nelson Chevrolet at the end of the harvest.

In 1960, Sylvia adopted her son Eric and they have had a special bond ever since. On a blind date, Sylvia met Elwyn D. (Andy) Anderson, a decorated WWII veteran, and on August 20, 1966 they were married and became a family of three. When Eric was old enough to join the Scouts, he became a Cub Scout, and the Andersons became an active Scouting family. Sylvia was den mother and the whole family participated in the Boy Scouts for many years, even after Eric attained Eagle Scout rank. Decades afterwards, Sylvia could walk the streets of her Ballard neighborhood, pointing out the houses of the Scouting families that played such an important role in Eric’s Scouting upbringing.

Sylvia was an avid reader, music lover and committed yard saler. She walked every day, and was strong and independent to the end. She held strong political beliefs and was pleased and relieved at the outcome of November’s presidential election. She had an irreverent sense of humor and a positive attitude that was infectious.

Sylvia made friends wherever she went and she was an especially vital part of her Ballard Jones Avenue neighborhood. Sylvia was the longtime neighborhood Block Watch captain, organized and attended many events, and supported all of her neighborhood families. All on her block agree that Sylvia was the matriarch of their close-knit neighborhood.

Sylvia was preceded in death by her parents, Leslie and Susan Slater, her sister Lila Hendrickson, and her husband Elwyn D (Andy) Anderson. She is survived by her son, Eric Anderson, a granddaughter, Zoe Anderson Smith, a great granddaughter, Emery Ann Smith, and her nieces Jackie Strong and Michelle Tamasonis, as well many cousins.

Graveside services will be held on Thursday February 11 at 3 pm at Restlawn Memorial Park in Edmonds, WA.