She was Aunt Sybil Giving the best Easter baskets with those perfect See’s milk chocolate eggs. Taking my sister yvonne and I to the theater… To see Stephanie Mills in The Wiz…To have dinner with the conductor of the Oakland symphony and then to our first performance of The Nutcracker. I believe he was the first Black conductor in the Bay Area then (perhaps the country). Even as a young teen, I knew that we were being introduced not only to the performing arts, but to the contribution of African Americans in the arts. Only a few of her very conscious acts of grace. And the slide shows (literal, actual slides ) of her world travels with her true love, Les. I am now a world traveler and I realize that those slides inspired my dreams… She was not only Aunt Sybil, but our chosen grandmother. We love you and miss you.

Dear Florant family, My deepest sympathies on the death of your wonderful mother/grandmother, Sybil. I only met her in her later years as we sat together on the "back bench" at All Saints'--but her shining, determined spirit and kindness will always be with me. Even in her later years, she taught me wonderful lessons--as did her family. May she be safely in God's arms, and may you all be comforted by good memories of her in the days and years to come. Love, Lynne