Sylvia B. Homan

Survivors include her husband, Dan Homan; daughters, Danna Homan, Melanie Paris (Chad); son, Matt Homan (Kelly); grandchildren, Hill Paris, Izzie Homan and Charlie “C.O.” Homan and sister, Bonnie Hagler (Alvin).

Celebration of Life services will be held Friday, December 11, 2020 at 1:00 PM from the chapel of Sunset Funeral Home, 3802 Watermelon Road Northport, Al 35473, with Elder Luke Hagler officiating. The family will receive friends at the funeral home one hour prior to the service.

Professor Emeritus of Nursing, Sylvia Homan, devoted her entire career to enhancing nursing education and improving healthcare in Alabama. After beginning her career in nursing, Sylvia became dedicated to making baccalaureate nursing education more accessible to associate degree graduates. In collaboration with the Capstone College of Nursing at The University of Alabama, she initiated the first RN to BSN curriculum, which became a model throughout the state. Her passion was fueled by her desire to make education accessible to anyone with a dream. Sylvia held several positions and received many recognitions throughout her career. In 1984, she assumed the position of Chairperson of Nursing and was appointed to a four-year term on the Alabama Board of Nursing. During her tenure at the University of West Alabama, Sylvia received the William E. Gilbert Award for Outstanding Teaching and the Faculty Loyalty Award. She was also inducted into the Who’s Who Among American Teachers, Phi Kappa Phi and the Society of Golden Key, which recognizes exceptional service to the University and the recipient’s profession. Her students and peer educators were her life-long passion.

Sylvia loved reading and devoured books. Her favorites were any that taught her more about the Bible and enhanced her relationship with Jesus. She loved girl trips with her daughters and traveling with her grandchildren. She loved the beach. She loved the lake and spending time at her home at Lake Martin. Sylvia had a passion for those who cannot help themselves; therefore she was a patron of the Bigbee Humane Society in Demopolis, AL, where one year she drove all over the state to buy all the plastic swimming pools she could find so that each homeless dog could stay cool in the Alabama summer heat. Her entire life, she made a priority of her volunteer work at church. One of her favorite activities was to take ladies from the local nursing home out for ice cream sundaes. They adored her. Sylvia loved her friends beyond measure, especially beating them at bridge. But most importantly, she loved being a mother to Danna, Melanie and Matt, and Siba to Hill, Izzie and Charlie. We will all miss her tremendously, but our Siba is celebrating her birthday into Heaven and we celebrate with her.

In lieu of flowers the family has requested donations be made to the Sylvia Homan Scholarship Fund,

The University of West Alabama, https://www.uwa.edu/sylviahoman or the Bigbee Human Society, P.O. Box 474 Demopolis, Al

Sunset Funeral Home, a Dignity Memorial Provider, in charge of arrangements.

Condolences to the family may be offered at www.sunsetbrown-funeral.com