Sylvester Sanchez

Sylvester was born to Octavia Sanchez and Steve Green on December 2, 1947 in Brooklyn, New York. He entered this world with intellectual and physical challenges but through the prayers of a mother with great faith and by the mighty grace of God, he conquered them all. Sylvester was a resident of Willowbrook Developmental Center for 41 years, where he learned to walk, talk, feed himself, and eventually groom and dress himself with minimum assistance.  In 1990, Sylvester moved on to St. Vincent’s Services Residential Housing, now renamed Heartshare/St. Vincent’s. This was a major adjustment for him, but with the help of many dedicated caretakers, he was able to adapt. He was enrolled in AHRC Adult Day Services which is the school where he continued to learn new and more challenging skills to improve his quality of life. He looked forward to attending school because he had to be bussed and he loved to ride. Sylvester was friendly and happy and made many friends at school and residence, among his peers, staff, and caretakers, often greeting them with a loud "hello", firm handshake, and a hug. He cheerfully participated in all activities, enjoyed walks in the neighborhood, a "good" meal, shopping, and attending live musical performances and plays. Sylvster developed a great appreciation for music and loved singing and dancing, and being innocently flirtatious. He really enjoyed getting dressed up, especially with new shoes and would not hesitate to call your attention to his outfit. At church you could always count on him for resounding “Amens” and hand-clapping throughout the mass. Visiting family, especially seeing “Mama” was most important to Sylvester and he was the life of the party at family gatherings, his residence, and school. He was somewhat of a jokester also and would crack-up with a hearty laugh or giggle at his own jokes, even if no-one else got it. No matter how he felt inside, his big brown eyes always glistened, and he always managed to smile.

Left to mourn Sylvester’s passing is his mother Octavia, sister Barbara-Jean and brother-in-law Horace Sr., stepbrother John Giles Jr. and family, stepsister Claudia McKeiner and family, nephews Terence, Horace Jr., and Immanuel, niece Bernadette, great-nieces Naya and Tamari, great-nephews Elijah, Prince Jr., and Chase, and a host of cousins, friends, and loving caretakers.

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Viewing: Monday (4/26)  9 AM - 10 AM  @  Saint Peter Claver R.C. Church
Funeral Mass: Monday (4/26) 10 AM  @  Saint Peter Claver R.C. Church
Cemetery: Rosehill Cemetery (Linden, NJ)

Church Address:
St. Peter Claver R.C. Church
21 Claver Place
Brooklyn, NY 11238
(718) 622-4647