Thank You, Sista Syl! With Love, from Ms. Viv

Happy Friday, Ms. Viv ‘Nim Fanatics!

It’s been officially one full week since we bid farewell to Sylvia E. Douglas. As you are all aware of, Ms. Syl passed away on Friday, April 13, 2012 at the age of 85 years old. Coincidentally, Ms. Syl's homegoing took place in her hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota on Friday, April 20, 2012, and from what we have been told, it was truly a celebration. 

In today’s blog, everyone’s favorite senior citizen Vivian Jewel Jones has volunteered to share her reflections and condolences to the Douglas Family.


Hi, Y’all!

When I got the news that Syl had gone home to be with The Lord, my heart liked to have broke. Syl and I shared a common bond: Bret George Douglas. I remember when Bret and Susie moved next door to me in 1984, and Bret made mentioned that I reminded him of his mother. When I got the chance to meet Syl, I automatically knew who she was, just by Bret’s description of her. Likewise, Syl looked at me and said, “You can’t be anyone else but Ms. Vivian!” From that moment on, Syl and I referred to each other as “twin sisters.” As a matter of fact, I would call her Sista Syl, and she would call me Diva Jewel.

I also remember when Bret and Susie celebrated their 30^th wedding anniversary. One of the song played during the reception was the Cha-Cha Slide. Everyone said that I could dance the youngins under the table, but when Syl got down on the dance floor, all that changed. There’s one part of the song where the DJ checks to see how low can you go, and Heaven help me if Syl didn’t get low—I’m talkin’ all the way to the floor. The funniest part was when she looked up at me and said, “Hey, Diva—help your fallen Sista!”

My heart definitely goes out to the entire Douglas Family—in particular, Roger. I will not sit here and pretend that I’m gonna miss Syl as much as her family, but I will miss her. There’s no way to turn off 67 years of marriage, but I want Roger to know that he shouldn’t fret none, because Syl is with The Lord now. Just remember that The Lord’s got this, and He ain’t gonna put no more on you than you can bear. I also want Bob, Cattie, Sandy, and Bret to know that they can always count on Ms. Viv for anything, be it a phone conversation, a prayer, or even a strawberry seven-up cake… LOL!

And Sista Syl, say hello to Clark for me. Love ya lots!

Until we meet again,

Vivian Jewel Jones, a.k.a. “Diva Jewel”