Sylvia Magri

Sylvia Gallaher Magri 64, of Smith Mountain Lake went home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on April 1, 2010 after a long battle with cancer. She was born in Bedford County on August 18, 1945 to the late Fredrick Napolean Gallaher and the late Frances St. Clair Gallaher. She was also preceded in death by her first husband, Jimmie Lee Baber. For the past 26 years she has been the loving wife of John J. Magri III.

Sylvia attended New London Academy School where she was crowned Miss New London Academy. She went on to be crowned as Miss Bedford County, VA. She worked several jobs where she was respected not only by her peers, but also management (Dr. Craddock, Crowder & Edmunds and Montaque Betts). She made lifelong friends in Lynchburg. In 1984 she moved to Raleigh, NC for 18 years where she got her Real Estate License. She loved real estate and meeting people in the area. She still communicates with all her friends from Raleigh after moving to Smith Mountain Lake in 2002.

 Just as in Raleigh, she has met truly great friends at Smith Mountain Lake. If you ever met Sylvia, you would never forget her.   As one friend put it her Joy is Contagious. She always took interest in people and though you may have met her only once she would remember the names of your children, your pets, your interest\"™s months later when you met again. Sylvia opened her heart to everyone she met and you felt as if you had known her for years. She loved to laugh and her radiant smile always exposed a depth of strength and true beauty from within. Sylvia saw only the best in people.

 Sylvia was a very talented person who showed her love for friends and family in many creative and thoughtful ways. She cooked delicious meals, desserts and appetizers. You could always count on her to bring wonderful treats to any event. She was an artist who did needlepoint, made earrings and worked with stained glass. She loved gardening and making things grow. She was a \"cat person\" dearly loved all of the cats she ever had. She was a child at heart, who could make costumes and loved to dress up for Halloween. One year she made Raggedy Ann and Andy costumes and another she dressed as Cruella DeVille, while John was her Dalmatian puppy. She was a crazy, silly Grandma to her nine grandchildren. She cut out letters in Jell-O, made silly faces and played in the lake with them.

In addition to her husband John, left to cherish her memory are her daughter Catherine Michelle Baber Ramsey of Lynchburg, Va. and her sister Charlene Gallaher of Goode, Va. She also leaves behind three nieces Mary Elizabeth Love of Appomattox,VA                                                               Lisa Ann Creasy Toms of Manteo, NC. and Laurie Ellen Thomas of Sandy Level, VA. She also leaves six great nieces and nephews Zachary and Emily Love, Cody and Cheyenne Toms, and Chelsea and Katie Thomas. She is also survived by two aunts, Stella Drinkard of Appomattox, VA and Helen Taylor of Amherst, VA, and a dear cousin, Linda Kay Moore. She has three stepchildren, John Magri IV of Melbourne Fl, Terri Sullivan of Birmingham, AL and Lisa Schneider of Scottsville, VA and nine great stepchildren Jack, Jenna, Trey, Trent, Elizabeth, Emily, Luisa, Jem and Daniel.

 The family wishes to express our heartfelt thanks and sincere gratitude to the nurses in the infusion center and on 6 West at Lewis Gale Medical Center. Also a special thanks to Dr\"™s Killeen and Currie and his nurse Ruth Ann. In addition a special thanks to the personnel at Carilion Clinic Hospice who helped us these past months.

 The family would also like to express our deepest appreciation for the time, compassion and caring shown to Sylvia throughout her illness by her family, friends and neighbors. We received flowers, balloons, food, and gifts, from too many people to possibly list here. She also received care packages from Raleigh and was on prayer lists from churches where we knew no one. Every visit, prayer or gift brightened her day.

 A memorial celebration of Sylvia\"™s life and faith will be held at Trinity Ecumenical Parish on Monday April 5, 2010 at 1:00 PM. A reception will be held in the Church Parish Hall following the memorial service.

 Memorial contributions may be made to Carilion Clinic Hospice, 180 Floyd Ave., Rocky Mount, VA 24151.

Trinity Ecumenical Parish is located at 40 Lakemount Drive. It is at the corner of Rt. 122 and Lakemount Drive.

  Arrangements by Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, Smith Mtn Lake, 721-9375.

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