Sydne Mae Lely

Sydne passed away peacefully at her home in Schellville on July 26, 2014, at the age of 84.  She was born Sept. 1, 1929, to Albert Walker St. John and Olive Lamar St. John, in Lakota, North Dakota.

Sydne married Edward Lely on Nov. 9, 1947, and they moved to Sonoma in 1956 to raise their four sons.

Sydne worked several jobs over her years in Sonoma.  She worked for a short time at the Sonoma Developmental Center and then at The Sonoma Index-Tribune, but spent many years as a bookkeeper at the Valley Drug Store in Boyes Springs.

Most of her jobs were part-time as she always made sure her sons could make it to baseball, football, or track practice, even piano lessons.  She had hoped that one of her sons might take an interest in music but sports were always first.

She loved to garden and would instruct Edward which vegetable and flowers to plant and where to plant them on their Schellville ranch.  For years, they brought them to the farmers market and had many loyal customers for their sunflowers, gladiolas and pussy willows.

Sydne’s main hobby was her family.  Christmas and Thanksgiving were always large dinners enjoyed by the whole family.  As the family grew and it became harder for her sons to meet on these holidays, she began a St. Patrick’s Day dinner that would ensure all the members of the now much larger family could attend.

Sydne was preceded in death by her husband Edward; son Dirk; and sisters, Joanne Brown and Phyllis Stefonowitz.  She is survived by her three sons, Chris (Kathy), Robyn (Rosemary), Kevin (Joanne) and daughter-in-law Paula Lely, all of Sonoma; brother, Marshall St. John, of Los Angeles; 10 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and two great-grandchildren due in October.

The family would like to thank Sydne’s niece, Renee Archer, for her many years of taking care of Sydne and to Josephine Filipo for her last two years as caregiver.

A memorial service will be held at the Sonoma Veterans Memorial Park, 90 First St. W., Sonoma, on Saturday, Aug. 23, at 10 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make donations in Sydne’s name to Pets Lifeline of Sonoma.

Duggan’s Mission Chapel

Sonoma

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