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On October 18, 2020, Sylvia Von Obstfelder White (Bejcek) passed away peacefully after complications from a fall in Beloit, WI. She was 97. Sylvia was born in Phillips, WI to Frank and Mary Bejcek (Baratka) on June 26, 1923 and lived on their family farm with brothers, Frank, Jr. and Ed, until she graduated from Phillips High School in 1941. After high school, Sylvia moved to Chicago where work was more plentiful, sometimes periodically joined by her brothers and their young families, in order to build up their nest eggs. Sylvia enjoyed two long marriages during her life. Her first was to Armin (Bud) Von Obstfelder on April 9, 1943. Together for 45 years, they raised three children in Illinois. After her children started school, Sylvia worked for many years for Morton Salt and for Johnsburg School District, after which she and Bud had a long and active retirement in Wisconsin and Florida. Widowed in 1988, she was introduced by mutual friends in Yuma to Donald White, of Bend, Oregon, and married him there on September 28, 1989 blending their respective lives, households and expanding families during their almost 20 years together. Sylvia loved traveling making frequent long-haul trips with Bud and their young children from their family home in Sunnyside back to hometown Phillips for summer vacations, fishing trips to Canada and holidays, so they could maintain close ties with her parents and brothers' families and their friends. Later when their children were older, they began tent camping trips across the United States using campgrounds as hotels. She became quite adept at planning each day’s travel and sightseeing itinerary especially when they upgraded to an RV after retirement and often golfed with friends and relatives. Once widowed, Sylvia expanded her horizons to Europe using Eurailpass to make daytrips from her daughter's home in Switzerland. Good practice for her second, more ambitious European trip when, newly married she and Don set forth on a month-long Eurailpass journey through Italy, France, Spain, and Ireland. When not traveling and wherever they lived, Sylvia and both husbands frequently attended senior centers for the camaraderie. Sylvia loved hosting both local and out-of-town visitors, baking, playing cards, and finding bargains at thrift stores and weekly garage sales. In Florida, her extensive travel planning experience helped guests plan their stays. She always kept physically active with dancing, golfing, gardening and, somewhat later in life, hiking – preparing for and completing two hikes down the grand canyon along with her family and friends Later, when she and Don moved to Tualatin, OR to be nearer their families in the West, the couple explored many of the hiking trails, Volkswalks, offered by local members of the American Volkssports Association -- a perfect merging of travel, local exploring and keeping fit. In 2015, several years after Don's death, Sylvia accepted Ray and Joan's invitation to make her home with them in Beloit, WI enjoying family gatherings in the Midwest with all of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Sylvia was predeceased by her husband Armin (Bud) Von Obstfelder, on February 18, 1988; by her husband Donald White, on May 11, 2009; and by her brothers and sisters-in-law, Frank (Verna) Bejcek, Jr. and Edward (Ann, Mary) Bejcek. Sylvia is survived by her children: Pam (Ken) Loertscher, Carmel, IN, Debbie (Michael) Turnbull, Clinton, WA; and Ray (Joan Elwell) Von Obstfelder, Beloit, WI; by her step-children: Cindy (Loren) Waggoner, Tualatin, OR; and Bruce (Margo) White, Caldwell, ID; by 9 grandchildren: Tim (Stephanie) Von Obstfelder; Ben (Kelly) Von Obstfelder; Kim (Justin) Belmarez; Mike Von Obstfelder; Heather Turnbull (Jasper Cheng); Travis (Jennifer) Waggoner; Aaron (Michelle) Waggoner, Josh (Monica) White; and Jake (Erin) White; and by 17 great-grandchildren. Memorial services and burial mass will be held at a later date.

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Sylvia Von Obstfelder White

June 26, 1923 - October 18, 2020

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Sylvia Von Obstfelder White

June 26, 1923 - October 18, 2020

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