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Sylvia Kietzman Obituary
Sylvia Sawyer Kietzman, beloved wife of Dr. Benjamin P. Kietzman and mother of Timothy John Kietzman, Sylvia Myrna Holmes, Ralph William Kietzman and Alice Aboye Sutor was born at 729 Irving Avenue, Wheaton, Illinois on February 15, 1930 as the twin sister of Spencer Sawyer, and sibling of Myron, John L. Jr, Ellen, and Josiah. She was home schooled by her mother, Kathleen, through her middle school years, and later graduated from Wheaton Community High School. She attended Wheaton College as an English literature major and a soloist in the Women’s Glee Club. She met her future husband, Benjamin Kietzman, during her junior year and was married to him on June 25, 1955.
Following Benjamin’s graduation from Indiana University Medical School in 1956, she and her husband moved to the Panama Canal Zone where Benjamin served as an intern and surgical resident at Gorgas Hospital and Sylvia served as a Primary School teacher at Balboa Heights grammar school.
In 1959 Benjamin and Sylvia were accepted as members of the Sudan Interior Mission for service at the Kano Eye Hospital in Northern Nigeria. During their 19 years of service in Kano, Sylvia served initially as the principal of a small school for blind boys, and later served as a teacher of Bible knowledge for secondary students in the local government colleges.
In 1978 Ben & Sylvia and their four children returned to the USA where Benjamin was accepted as a cataract and oculoplastic surgeon at the Wheaton Eye Clinic. They established their home at 0N620 Indian Knoll Road in West Chicago’s Highlake neighborhood, where they lived for 41 years until Sylvia’s passage into God’s presence on August 7, 2020. During these years Sylvia participated in the College Church choir and the Elizabethan choral ensemble, a delight in the weekly fabric of her life.
She and Benjamin enjoyed the prayerful and financial support of College Church during their 19 years of service in Nigeria, and the warm fellowship and worship there since their return from Nigeria.
Sylvia and Benjamin have often contemplated their beautiful life of 65 years of a marriage made in Heaven, and they wish to give God the glory for His wonderful goodness to them.
A visitation will be held Monday August 10, 2020 from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at Hultgren Funeral Home, 304 N Main St., Wheaton, IL, 60187. Due to COVID guidelines, only 50 guests may be allowed into the building at one time and are asked to wear a mask.
A service and interment will be held privately. All are invited to view a livestream of the service held Tuesday August 11, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. To view the service please click here.
Memorial gifts may be directed to the College Church Missions Program.
Memories and Condolences
for Sylvia Kietzman
Brenda (Adams) Sheppard
August 23, 2020
Dear Dr. Kietzman and family, Thank you for many years of service to the Lord! My earliest memories are growing up in Kano and running around the compound as kids. Later, Dr. Kietzman was so compassionate when my dad was sick in Kano. Thank you for taking good care of him! We are sad to know of Aunt Sylvia's passing, but we rejoice in God, her Savior. She lived a life dedicated unto the Lord with the gifts He gave her. Thanks for sharing the pictures of her life! What a beautiful family you have! With love and prayers of comfort during this time.
Martha Cail
August 23, 2020
Dear Tim, Myrna, Ralph and Alice. Your family are part of my earliest memories in Kano where you lived just down the path. Ralph and Talmage were good buddies while Alice and Miriam were friends. Your Mom was one of the reasons I took violin lessons in high school. Years later we visited your place in Wheaton. Grateful for the years our families spent together and our Dad worked together. My condolences and prayers.
Leslie Greer
August 23, 2020
Apart for now, but not forever. I remember her very well. May God bless you all.
Ruth VanReken
August 22, 2020
I remember all the times when I was a child that we visited the Sawyer family during our furloughs from Nigeria. As you know, my father and uncle lived with the Sawyers during their time at Wheaton while my grandparents were working in Persia. I enjoyed each visit and heard such warm remembrances from dad about his time there.
Later, Ben and Sylvia changed a world when they went as missionaries themselves during the days when wives were expected to work at least 4 hours per day in some official mission work while others cared for the children. They modeled how it was for parents to be primary caregivers as together, as a family, they also served countless others medically and personally. Many other families have followed their example of being family IN missions rather than separating the two God given assignments. I have always, always admired them and been so blessed in each contact with Sylvia and her family. May God comfort you, Ben, and all the children and grandchildren too.
Kita Heslinga
August 12, 2020
We go way back, our families met at College Church in 1948. Then years later, we were both Wheaton Christian Grammar School parents. Later still, reuniting when you were in The Villages. We send our sympathy to you, Ben, and your entire family.
Dan and Beth Gowin
August 11, 2020
Dear family,
May the Lord’s comfort be with you all especially you, Uncle Ben. 65 years together- Wow! Thanks for being a loving example to all.
I’ll always remember Aunt Sylvia’s sweet attitude whenever Alice and I would play at her house when we visited during our Sawyer reunions many years ago. I know Aunt Sylvia did so much for the family, yet she was always so kind and generous.
We love you all so much,
Beth Sawyer Gowin (for the Gowin family)
James Walbert
August 11, 2020
It was my pleasure to get to know Sylvia for the last year or so at her home with our Tuesday Bible studies.
I treasure the times and will always remember her sweet spirit. My prayers and sympathy for Dr. Kietzman and all the family.
Virgil Reeve
August 10, 2020
SYMPATHY NOTE
Evelyn and I treasure the shared experiences and spiritual oneness that we felt in our fellowship with Ben and Sylvia as members of Keenagers and Daytimers at College Church. They also served with us at the Billy Graham Center “TVTM ministry answering phone calls from those who wanted to accept Christ in response to the Billy Graham Crusade messages on Television.
One of the most memorable times we shared together was in 2008 when we joined Anita Deyneka on her Russian Ministries riverboat tour from Moscow to St. Petersburg. One of the high light memories was when Sylvia sang an inspiring solo at one of the worship services on the trip.
We enjoyed watching the video of their family as they grew up. It was inspiring to visualize their 19 years of ministry at the Kano Eye Hospital in Northern Nigeria, ..
We were sorry that our planned trip this afternoon for the visitation at Hultgren Funeral Home was preempted by the storm.. We plan to view the stream of the funeral service tomorrow. Evelyn and Virgil Reeve
Ann Sawyer
August 10, 2020
Dear Ben and All! I have been so blessed to be able to call Sylvia my sister! Her brother Joe truly loved his big sister! When I married him he bragged so much about her, and it was all so very true! Sylvia always made us feel like an integral part of the family; loving and praying for us and our family, housing us, feeding us, traveling with us. How I cherish the times that we have had just sitting at the breakfast table and talking, and then reading the Bible and praying together.
Joe and I will miss her greatly.
Sue Kelly
August 10, 2020
I am grateful to have sat under Sylvia’s leadership in College Church Women’s Bible Study. Her love for God, His word, and service done in His name locally and around the world oozed out of her. Her encouraging words and personal attention warmed my heart on cold days. I and my family will miss her. Ben & all the family are in our prayers.
Janna Marshall
August 10, 2020
Aunt Sylvia was a faithful, godly and strong woman. She modeled wisdom and grace and joyfully offered hospitality to others. I remember many wonderful Thanksgiving gatherings as a child with Aunt Sylvia at the helm. She was certainly one in a million. I am grateful for her example in my life and pray that the God of all comfort will uphold Uncle Ben and family as you grieve the loss of Sylvia’s presence on earth.
Becky Kendall
August 10, 2020
Aunt Sylvia was a beautiful and graceful woman with steel at her core. Her love for Jesus flowed into a love and grace extended to the people in her life. She was a wonderful example of strength expressed gracefully. She will be greatly missed on this side of heaven!
Marilyn A Kitchell
August 8, 2020
Sylvia was a gentle soul with a ready smile all the time. She came to College Church even when she had pain.
She loved her Savior, had a beautiful voice, did all she could for her children and loved her husband who so faithfully cared for her.
Coralie Sawyer
August 8, 2020
Dear Ben and children: Sylvia was a wonderful sister-in-law to me. She was very kind, loved Jesus Christ, and respected and lived by God's very Words. She was an example to me. She was always very kind to my husband ,her brother, my John. I will sorely miss her. Yet will see her before long in Jesus home where we will be all together again.
The Hultgren Family and Staff
August 8, 2020
Offering our deepest condolences during this difficult time.
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Aug
10
Visitation
4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Hultgren Funeral Home and Cremation Center - Wheaton304 N. Main St., Wheaton, IL 60187
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Hultgren Funeral Home and Cremation Center - Wheaton304 N. Main St., Wheaton, IL 60187