Sylvia Carter

Sylvia Carter, 84, of Cedar Rapids, passed away Thursday, December 5, 2019, at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy in Hiawatha. Gathering of Family and Friends: 4-7 p.m. Wednesday, December 11, 2019, at Stewart Baxter Funeral & Memorial Services, Cedar Rapids. Private Family Inurnment: Linwood Cemetery, Cedar Rapids. Survivors include her husband of 63 years, David; children, Blair of Texas, Grant of Cedar Rapids, and Neal Carter of Cedar Rapids; grandchildren, Amber Carter, and Curtis (Alexa) Winsor of Virginia; great-grandchildren, Ayden Vaughn and Alena Harris and Theodore Winsor; brother, Arthur of Cedar Rapids; sister-in-law, Jenni Fauchier; and many extended family members and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents. Sylvia Ann Svaldi was born May 20, 1935, to Arthur and Verna (Mitchener) Svaldi in Oskaloosa. When Sylvia was just an infant, the family moved to Manchester, Iowa. Sylvia lived the typical life of a small town child, riding bicycles on dirt streets and playing on the banks of the dry run creek near their home. Arthur owned and operated the Standard Auto Parts and auto repair shop in Manchester and was later operated by her brother, Arthur Lynn. Sylvia attended Manchester High School, where she met David Carter. They graduated in 1954. She attended what was then Iowa State Teachers College for one year and then joined her husband-to-be, David, in Iowa City. She attended the University of Iowa for one year and then began working for the University as a secretary to Dr. Davies in East Hall. Sylvia and David were married in Danforth Chapel on the University campus on Labor Day weekend in 1956. Many noted how hot it was on that weekend, particularly in light of the fact the chapel was not air conditioned. To earn extra money, Sylvia typed term papers for University students at 10 cents a page, setting up her Royal typewriter on a card table in their apartment living room. Sylvia was a skilled typist, a talent she used during her entire career as both a legal and medical transcriptionist. The young couple soon moved to Cedar Rapids so David could take a job at KCRG radio and television. Four years later, their first son Blair was born then sons, Grant and Neal. Sylvia was a stay-at-home mom for several years while the boys were small. She took part in PTA activities and conducted Story Hour class for pre-kindergarten children at Erskine school. During those years she met her friend Pat Novak and they spent time as young moms walking the family dogs and shopping often. With another friend and neighbor, Mary Lou Zenor, she spent time on home projects, especially making Christmas decorations and other craft works. To satisfy a desire to begin working again, she worked at home transcribing the notes of Linn County court reporter, Bob Carroll. Later she took a job at the Linn County Psychiatric Clinic in downtown Cedar Rapids as a medical transcriptionist. That facility was renamed the Abbe Center for Community Health and moved to the Fillmore Center. She worked there for 30-plus years until she was nearly 80, well past the normal age for retirement. Unfortunately, memory issues worked their way into her life and she was forced to retire. A long, slow decline began as she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. It robbed her of her memory and her bright spirit of life and eventually took her life. Many knew Sylvia as a happy and chipper person towards anyone with whom she came in contact. The family asks that you take a moment to remember her that way and not for what the dementia/Alzheimer's took from her. If you desire, donations in her name may be made to the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy or the Mercy Medical Center Foundation. The family would like thank the staff at Abbe Center. Sylvia's job there for her working career was a joyful and fulfilling time for her. We also would like to especially thank Amanda Pins and the staff at the Mercy Memory Clinic, Palliative Care Social Worker Dana Andersen, Kathy Good at the Mercy Family Caregivers Center. Special thanks go to everyone at the Hospice House of Mercy. Our thanks also to everyone in the Mercy Emergency Department and Area Ambulance Service. Without all of them this journey, particularly its final days, would have been much more difficult. They provided care and compassion in many different ways during this difficult time.