Sylvia Dill

Jerome- Sylvia Dill, 55, of Jerome, Idaho passed away on October 23, 2014.

She was born December 15, 1958 in Jerome, Idaho to Charley and Madeline Walters, where she was raised with her three sisters and three brothers. Sylvia graduated from Jerome High School in 1976,  then attended college at the University of Idaho, completing her course of study at Boise State University as a music educator. She taught music in Mountain Home, Hagerman, and then took a position in the Jerome School District where she taught successfully for close to 25 years. It was in Jerome where she brought a love for music to a generation of children, teaching them how to read, write, and perform music to a level that surpassed many music programs.  Her music concerts were always well attended, and brought much joy to the students that she touched and for the community in which she lived.

Sylvia grew up out across the Red Bridge on her father’s ranch where she spent her youth riding horses, chasing cows through the sage brush, and playing music with her family. She was born into a very musical family in which everyone played an instrument; fiddles, guitars, mandolins, accordions, banjos, and the piano. It was evident at a very early age that Sylvia was a natural musician with an incredible ear. She learned to play the piano, the guitar, and had the ability to sing both melody and harmony. She was able to use this ability to play and sing professionally with several local country/folk bands that performed throughout the Northwest.

While music was always a passion with Sylvia, the love of her life was her husband, Randy and her children Jeff, Sarah, and Aaron. Sylvia and Randy were married in 1987. They built their home and raised their family in the Jerome area where Sylvia and Randy both enjoyed raising and training horses, and competing in local horse shows and reining cow horse events.  Sylvia also enjoyed riding with her friends the Neilsons, trailing cattle from the Gooding/Wendell area up to their summer pasture near Fairfield. This touch with the old west was a reminder of her childhood of which she was so fond.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Charley and Madeline Walters, her oldest brother Riley Walters, and her father-in-law Gene Dill. She is survived by her husband, Randy and children, Jeff, Sarah (Evelin), and Aaron (Aedric, Preston, Maeli), sister Gail of Dickenson, North Dakota, sister Charlotte (Rich) of Nampa, Idaho, sister Marilyn of Clayton, Idaho, brother Mark (Sandra) of Jerome, Idaho, brother Doug (Terry) of Jerome, Idaho, sister-in-law Ruth Walters of Jerome, Idaho, mother-in-law Margaret Dill of Florence, Mississippi, and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

A memorial service will be held at 4:00 PM, Tuesday October 28, 2014 , at the United Methodist Church, 211 South Buchanan St., Jerome, Idaho.  In lieu of flowers, Sylvia’s family suggests that memorials be made in her name to: Horizon Elementary Music Program, 934 10th Avenue East, Jerome, ID 83338.  Arrangements are under the care of Farnsworth Mortuary of Jerome.