Sylvia Chase

1929 - 2020

Sylvia June Jaffee Chase

Worcester - Sylvia June Jaffee Chase, age 90, passed away Wednesday, May 27, 2020 in Worcester, MA after a ferocious battle with Covid-19.

Born June 5, 1929 in Worcester, she was the daughter of Maurice and Charlotte Jaffee. In 1951, she was united in marriage with Arnold David Chase in Worcester, a union of 49 years, until his passing on February 28, 2001.

Sylvia graduated from Boston University in 1951, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Interior Design. She took great pride in decorating her home, which became a hub for large gatherings of family and friends. Most celebrations ended in a spirited, multi-generational game of Trivial Pursuit around the dining room table. Her grandchildren recall Sylvia's home as a wonderland for children, filled with games and activities, indoors and out.

Sylvia raised her family in an era when traditional motherhood was an honored calling. Yet she was a rare soul who was both a bon vivant and a homebody. She loved food, fashion, fine art, and travel - so much so that when she and her husband planned a grand 10-week tour of Europe in the early 1960's, they brought their two young daughters - aged 5 and 8 - along with them.

"Nobody did that then - not many would do it now," her daughters recall. "We traveled across the Atlantic on the SS United States - one of the last ocean liners to carry passengers to Europe. Family lore has it that our baby sister was conceived in Paris - on Bastille Day, 1962. So - though only two of us got to see Europe - all three children were present on the return ocean voyage!"

Sylvia committed much of her life to causes for children, education, and the arts. She took on many leadership roles, including the presidency of the Worcester Ballet Society, of the local Brandeis Women's Organization, of the Worcester Aquamaids, and the local chapter of ORT, an international organization for Jewish Education. She was also a Girl Scout leader and member of the Midland Street School PTA. She and her husband were founding members of Temple Sinai.

Sylvia had a warrior's spirit and boundless energy. She loved to drive, frequently piloting her children and husband across the country, which she continued to do into her 80's. That indomitable spirit never left her. Though she was diagnosed with Covid-19 in early March, she fought the infection for 10 weeks, succumbing only when she was unable to eat or drink. A day before she passed away, she was still singing with her daughter during their FaceTime visit. As the wife of a WWII veteran, it was fitting that Sylvia's final song was "God Bless America."

Surviving to cherish her memory are three daughters, Jennifer Chase Williams (Jeffrey Williams), Hubbardston, MA, Susan Chase (Allen Krantz), Philadelphia, PA, and Robin Chase, Hartford, CT; three grandchildren, Emery Markles (Heather Markles), Gareth Chase and Gordon Williams; and one great-grandchild. Also surviving is a brother, David Jaffee. She was predeceased by her husband and parents.

The family held a private graveside service on May 31, 2020 at B'naiBrith Cemetery, Worcester.

Friends can send memorial contributions to the Worcester Art Museum, 55 Salisbury St, Worcester, MA 01609-3196.

Mercadante Funeral Home