ENOSBURG FALLS – Larry R. Sylvester, age 83, passed away on Friday, July 17, 2015 at the Franklin County Health & Rehab facility in St. Albans.
He was born in Montgomery on February 2, 1932 to the late George & Doris (Rushford) Sylvester.
Larry grew up in Montgomery and was educated by his mom in a 1 room schoolhouse on West Hill. He served in the National Guard through the Korean Conflict. On April 21, 1956 he married the love of his life, Jeannean Lumbra. In 1962 they moved to Connecticut, with their children, to pursue better paying jobs. He spent time with Eastern Breeders and then Pratt & Whitney before moving back to Vermont. Larry & Jeannean returned to Vermont in 1971 and started Sylvester’s Inc. which was a convenience store in the town of Fairfax. After running the store for a few years Larry began working as a Carpenter for Ron Parah and IBM.
His brother Ronald called Larry to say he would like to return to Montgomery and asked if he was interested in becoming business partners. The brothers, with their spouses, went in to business in 1977 and purchased Puffer’s IGA in Montgomery and started Sylvester’s Market which became a very successful grocery store. Larry was an excellent meat cutter and customers would travel several miles for his signature smoked meats. In 1995 they sold the store and began to enjoy retirement. He was a hard worker and helped pick-up and deliver cars for Bob Cota at R&D Enterprises and Champlain Chevrolet throughout his retirement. Larry & Jeannean purchased a RV and would travel to Arizona for the winters in their later years.
He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Jeannean Sylvester of Enosburg Falls; his children, Patricia Rodger and her husband Dennis of Montgomery and Mark Sylvester of Lyndonville; 3 grandchildren, Melinda Sylvester and her children, Joseph & Jaylin of St. Johnsbury, Bryan Rodger and his significant other, Mikal Faucher and their son Khane all of Enosburgh and Andrew Sylvester of St. Johnsbury; siblings, Ronald Sylvester and his wife Jeannette of St. Albans and Charlene Plouff of Enosburg Falls; siblings-in-law, Beverly Sylvester of Franklin, Maxine Robtoy of Enosburgh, Reginald Lumbra of Montgomery and Paulette O’Bar and her husband Carey of Island Pond and several nieces & nephews. Besides his parents, Larry was predeceased by an infant son, Scott Anthony Sylvester; his brothers, Wilber, Keith “Sam” & Wayne Sylvester; his mother and father in-law, Eugene & Marion Lumbra and a sister-in-law, Linda Viau.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Monday, July 20, 2015 at 11:00 AM at St. John the Baptist Church, Missisquoi St., Enosburg Falls with Fr. Roger Charbonneau officiating. Interment will follow in St. John the Baptist Cemetery.
A time of visitation will be held on Monday at the Spears Funeral Home, 96 Dickinson Ave., Enosburg Falls from 9:00 – 10:30 AM.
For those who wish, contributions in Larry’s memory may be made to Lamoille Area Cancer Network, 198 Farr Ave., Morrisville, VT 05661.
To offer condolences click on the following link:
http://spearsfuneralhome.com
