Virginia "Babe" Sylwestrzak

1927 - 2013

Sylwestrzak, Virginia "Babe" OCEANSIDE -- Vrginia Lou Sylwestrzak went home to Jesus on May 27, 2013. A memorial service for her will be held at New Song Community Church in Oceanside on June 8th at 11a.m. 'Babe' as she was called growing up, was born October 1, 1927 in San Bernardino, CA. Graduating from high school at age 16 she began supporting herself right away. As a youngster, she took dance lessons at Mrs. Meglin's Dance studio at the same time Shirley Temple was there. She was the mom of 10 children, with four born in California, the rest in Michigan, raising them almost entirely single-handedly. She has left behind the 10 children, 21 grand- children, 5 great-grand- children and 2 great-great grandchildren, as well as many in-laws. Virginia was preceded in death by two grand- children, Lalena Reaume and Caleb Allen and one grandchild-in-law, Robert Schaffer and one brother, Richard Johnson. Her children from oldest to youngest are Diana Gallegos, Tim Reaume, Eileen Fernandez, Robin Jones, Fawn Gogue, Fred Reaume, Marshall Sylver, Stacey Levesque, Marc Sylwestrzak, and Michel Sylwestrzak. Over the years, Virginia was a Cub Scout den mother, Little League score-keeper, classroom volunteer, church office volunteer and Sunday School teacher. She had an amazing faith that never faltered even before she committed her life to Jesus in the mid-70's. Having a heart for the hungry, she spent the last 25 years volunteering first at the Uptown Interfaith Service Center in San Diego and the last 18 years at Brother Bennos in Oceanside. She wore various hats, always treating the work as if it were a job where she performed tasks with a strong sense of responsibility and care. A few years ago, Virginia was active in a local Kiwanis Club in Oceanside, and served as President until an illness caused her to give it up. While in Michigan, she supported her family doing factory work, waitressing and finally purchasing a little truck stop/ airport restaurant business in Almont. Later, she worked for the Office of Economic Opportunity as supervisor of three counties, helping people get jobs. She moved back to California in 1976 where she continued raising the four youngest children. Her jobs included production line and sales at Barnes Hind Hydro-curve in San Diego, and collections at a local Wells Fargo Bank. Over time she has been recognized as Mother of the Year and Volunteer of the Year at an elementary school, Brother Bennos and a local paper. One year she received the special Dove award for her service to the community. She was a great seamstress, home decorator and had outstanding fashion sense. One of her joys was cooking. She raised an army and never stopped cooking for one! Her very greatest joy was her kids and they will forever be grateful for the life she lived and the capacity to love that she so aptly and willingly passed to each of them.