Sylvia Andra Stephens
November 30, 1933 – February 2, 2011

Sylvia Stephens, age 77, died Tuesday, February 2 at Largo Medical Center in Largo, Florida.

Born in Dunbar, West Virginia, she was the daughter of the late Vivian Hanshaw-Stephens and Edgar Stephens, of Dunbar West Virginia. Sylvia graduated from Dunbar High School in 1951.

Sylvia was a resident of St. Petersburg, Florida for the last 43 years. Before moving to St. Petersburg, Sylvia traveled the world with her husband and children, due to her husband’s service in the Air Force, living in Texas and South Carolina, and overseas in France and Japan, were experiences she cherished. Some of Sylvia’s interests were gardening, reading, science fiction, the arts, dancing, and listening to reggae, classical and New Age music. Sylvia she was also talented oil painter. Family and friends are recipients of some of her beautiful artworks that ranged from a large painting of a gorilla to cultural portraits of women from around the world. Throughout her life, Sylvia maintained strong interests in foreign places, arm chair travel and carried on lively conversations on a wide variety of topics from world affairs, cultures, politics, religion, spirituality, nature, animals , books and movies.

During the mid to late 1950’s Sylvia was a successful fashion and photographic model in Palm Beach, Florida. She maintained the stylishness of a model throughout her life as she took on the role of wife and mother raising her two children.

Sylvia was generous with her love towards her family, and she welcomed new family members into her life with a warm and generous spirit.

In her last years, Sylvia was wheelchair bound but was lovingly cared for by her husband of many years Lester “Bob” Rathbone.

She is also survived by her son Robert and his wife Valerie; their son Maxwell Rathbone and his fiancé Stefanie Robinson; daughter Lora Rathbone; her daughter Paris Tucker and her husband Mark, and her three children Nicky, Vivian, and Kelley; Sylvia’s sister Connie Croffutt and Connie’s husband, Dee and their children, Kim Pardun, Philip Storage and Jamie.

Sylvia will always be remembered with love by her family and friends and will be missed by those she touched.

Services will be held on at 10 am on Saturday, February 12, 2011 at The Temple of the Living God, 1950 2nd Avenue North
St. Petersburg, FL 33713-8912, (727) 822-3157.