Peacefully on Sunday, June 4, 2023, at her residence, at the age of 85. She is survived by her two children Catherine (Paul) Lystiuk and Norman (Wendy) Scharf as well as four grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Also survived by her sister Joan Hedges. Sylvia was predeceased by her first husband, Alan Scharf and by her second husband, Romeo Lafrance as well as by her parents Eleanor (Edmonds) and Arthur Casey, brother Bernard and sister Jean McMonagle.
Sylvia spent many happy years performing in dance recitals and teaching tap dancing all around the Ottawa Valley. She also had a career she loved at the National Research Council and then with the Canadian Space Agency.
The family would like to thank all the staff at Windsor Park Retirement Home for their competent and compassionate care and in particular the Personal Support Workers and Nurses, especially in the last weeks of Sylvia's life.
A Memorial Mass will be held in St. Bernard’s Church, 1720 St. Bernard St., Ottawa, on Monday, June 12, 2023, at 1 p.m. Following the mass, a reception in honour of Sylvia will be held at McEvoy-Shields Funeral Home, 1411 Hunt Club Road, Ottawa. For those unable to attend the Mass, you may visit Sylvia’s memorial site at www.mcevoy-shields.com for a link to join the live stream by visiting - https://fweb.tv/103087
In lieu of flowers, donations to the Heart & Stroke Foundation or the Canadian Cancer Society would be appreciated. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.McEvoy-Shields.com for the Lafrance family.
