Obituary of Sylvia Spingler

Sylvia Spingler, of Glen, NY and Lakeland, FL, passed away on September 1, 2009 at Ellis Hospital in Schenectady, NY. She was born in Amsterdam on October 10, 1936. Sylvia is preceded in death by her parents, John and Josephine Romeo Della Vecchia, her brother Nicholas and her loving husband, Dalton Spingler. Sylvia is survived by her sister, Angela Dennis; her son, Grant Gaynor; her step-children DeeGee Blackman, Dalton Spingler, Jr. and Diane Thornton; several grandchildren; her maternal aunts, Elvira Romeo Sapia and Dorothy Romeo Viscusi; nieces, nephews and cousins, as well as her dear friends. Sylvia graduated from Wilbur H. Lynch High School and moved to Texas shortly after school. She returned in the early 1960s and opened a flower shop in the Albany area. After the flower shop closed, she went to work for the Wallace Berrie Co. selling stuffed animals, Smurfs and Smurf memorabilia throughout New York State. In her first year, she became the top salesperson in an all male sales force, winning the "Salesman of the year" award, as they didn't have the term "salesperson" in those times. She became known to her family and friends as "The Smurf Lady". A memorial celebrating her life will be held on September 19, 2009 at the Winner's Circle in Fonda at 12 noon. Family and friends are invited to toast the life of this unique, creative, dynamic and vibrant woman. A second memorial will take place October 10, 2009 in Lakeland, FL, where she had a winter home and where most of her extended family now live.