Sylvia Raven Clark

Sylvia Jeannine Smyth Raven Clark passed away on July 20, 2017 at her home. Sylvia was the daughter of the late Ruby Vanlandingham Smyth and Sylvester Hays Smyth and was born in Louisville on March 26, 1929. She graduated from Louisville High School in 1947. Upon graduation, Sylvia began working at Taylor Machine Works as personal secretary to W.A. Taylor, Sr., and was in charge of accounts receivable. She was employed there for 14 years. Sylvia married James Harold (Happy) White on November 18, 1949. In 1961 she began working with her parents and her aunt and uncle as Secretary of Lake Tiak O’Khata and was an integral part of the growth and success of the family business. Sylvia retired from the business in 1996. She was a founding board member of Winston Academy and served on the board for 10 years. Sylvia was very instrumental in the creation and early stages of the school. She was a member of First Presbyterian Church.

Her three children were her proudest accomplishment. She was a very loving and caring mother passionate about her son and two daughters. Her children’s health and happiness were what mattered most to her throughout her life. As a single working mother of three, she made the best of her situation and always managed to be an exceptional parent. After working all day and into the night she would be there for her children. She was the best listener a child could ask for. Her children loved her deeply and will miss her very much.

Sylvia was preceded in death by her parents; her husbands, James Harold White, of Louisville; James Everette Raven of Seattle Washington; and Henry Lamar Clark of Louisville; her brother, Bobby Van Smyth; her uncle, Thomas Benjamin Smyth and wife, Catherine all of Louisville. She is survived by her three children: son James Steven White (Christy) of Louisville; her daughters Lisa White Burgan (Paul) and Susanne White Galtney both of Houston, Texas; her sister-in-law, Vera Yvonne Smyth of Louisville; nieces, Jennifer Smyth Tillman of Tucson, Arizona and Lou Ann Gaulding of Atlanta, Georgia; nephew, Harold Hays Smyth of Ft. Pierce, Florida; and her cousins, Bennie Jean Kelleghan and Charles Thomas Smyth, both of Louisville. Grammy is survived by many grandchildren, great grandchildren and step-grandchildren who she loved and adored: Lauren Allyn White, Katy Rose Cooper (Fowler), Steven Lucas White (Anne Jordan), Robert Fields Galtney (Kirsten), Benjamin Hays Galtney, John Kinsman Galtney, Andrew Smyth Galtney, Ross Ogilvy Burgan, David Smyth Burgan, Hailey Peterson Williams (Phillip), Madelyn Peterson Monk (Regan), and Johnathan Blake Peterson; and her great grandchildren, Ellie Fields Galtney, Jack Robert Galtney, Annistyn Elise Williams, and Camryn Joy Williams and her two surviving step-children Gloria Raven Harris of Portland, Oregon and Dan Raven of Seattle, Washington; two step-grandchildren, Maria Riler Green and Gary Riler of Portland, Oregon; her step-niece, Dana Carroll of Scotia, New York and step-nephew, Hank Carroll of Miami, Florida.

Sylvia’s family would like to express their sincere appreciation to her loyal caregivers; Frozene Frazier, Bonnie Jones, Dorothy Eichelberger, Dot Papalambros, and Linda Mills.

Visitation will be held Saturday, July 22nd, from 12:00 P.M. until service time at First Presbyterian Church. Funeral services will follow at 2:00 P.M. at First Presbyterian Church with Reverend Scott Phillips of Louisville officiating. Interment will immediately follow the service at Memorial Park Cemetery. Memorials may be made to: First Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 61, Louisville, MS 39339 or Palmer Home for Children, P.O. Box 746, Columbus, MS 39701 or Winston Academy P.O. Box 545, Louisville, MS 39339.

Pallbearers will be Luke White, Ross Burgan, Dave Burgan, Blake Peterson, Rob Galtney, Ben Galtney, John Galtney, and Drew Galtney.