1938 was not a great year for a road trip from Palatine, IL, to New Port Richey, Fla. Despite two-lane roads, creaky hotels and days of travel, 18-year-old Sylvia June Ost and her 22-year-old sister, Adeline Elsa Ost, eventually moved to Florida with their parents, Elsie F. Wickersheim Ost and Edward W. Ost. The move came after Sylvia had graduated from Barrington Senior High School, Barrington, IL. Within days of settling into her new home, Sylvia met the love of her life, Curtis Falany (3/7/19 – 12/2/97), a local boy with a heart-melting grin and plenty of Southern charm. World War II interrupted their lives when he joined the U.S. Navy (gunner’s mate/Armed Guard).
Sylvia spent her time waiting for Curtis to return from the Pacific by working at the local post office selling war bonds, teaching music at Gulf High School and playing piano in a dance band! He returned long enough for them to be married on Thanksgiving 1944 “with the whole town in attendance” (lasting for 53 years!).
She joined him for a time in San Francisco, Calif., where he was stationed, traveling back and forth by train. When he returned to Florida, they settled into homes in Tarpon Springs and New Port Richey, and had two sons, Curtis E. and Charles N. Falany.
As the wife of a Florida Highway Patrolman, Sylvia moved with the family to Jacksonville, Cross City and Plant City by 1960. She learned to be a “good sport” to keep up with this family of Falany men: shrimping, scalloping (though she stayed in the boat with a life jacket on), crabbing, frog gigging (she drove the car), fishing (including nighttime fire-fishing, though she refused to bait a hook or clean a fish), boating (though she couldn’t swim and was deathly afraid of water) and camping!
The Falany's took a trip to California in a 1958 Chevrolet Bel Air station wagon pulling a pop-up camper, setting up camp each night and cooking on a Coleman stove. She went wilderness camping with the family in North Carolina in a homemade camper and nearly had a heart attack when she opened the lid on a trash can, only to surprise a bear in the middle of a snack! In 1975, she won a boat/motor and trailer when she correctly guessed there were 12,791 nickels in an aquarium at the Tampa Boat Show.
Sylvia’s primary love was her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. She spent her adult life as a church musician, most of the service given to Grace United Methodist Church in Plant City, where she was a charter member. She played piano and organ for Sunday and holiday services, weddings, funerals, plays, dinners and sing-a-longs until she was 94 years young.
She loved children and spent her working years in Plant City as a school secretary at Tomlin Junior High School and Burney Elementary School. She was a voracious reader, owned more than 500 books, enjoyed jigsaw/book-based puzzles and absolutely came alive at Christmastime! She had a smile that lit up any room and totally enjoyed doing for others.
Sylvia spent her last 19 months in Coventry Assisted Living Facility in Plant City. They were angels-on-earth in their compassionate care of her, from the aides and nurses to the owners, Fred and Nikki Pozeznik. They even gave her a new career as their cover girl in the advertising for the facility! Our deepest thanks for the love they demonstrated every day of her stay.
She is survived by her sons Curtis E. Falany (Jo Ellen) and Charles N. Falany, grandchildren Marina Lynn Thompson (Scott Huff), Curtis R. Falany (Amanda), Sylvalyn Falany-Arnold (Doug) and seven great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her grandson, Charles Nathan Falany.
Services will be held at Grace United Methodist Church, at 1801 E. Cherry St. in Plant City, on Friday, January 27, 2017. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. with the service at 11 a.m. Flowers are welcome, or donations can be made in her name to the Florida United Methodist Children’s Home, 51 Main St., Enterprise, FL, 32725.
Condolences may be made online at www.wellsmemorial.com
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