Obituary of Sylvia Lyness

Sylvia Mae Lyness, age 96, passed away this Friday, October 30, 2020 at the Francis E. Parker Home in Piscataway, NJ. She was born and raised in Plainfield, NJ, where she spent most of her life, until moving to Highland Park, NJ and residing there from 1981 to 2017. She had lived in Piscataway, NJ for the last three years. Sylvia attended Plainfield High School and graduated class of ’42. She then enrolled in and graduated from Goucher College with a bachelor’s degree in Biology. Sylvia worked as a Lab Assistant at Northwestern University. She gained employment as Head Lab Technician at Middlesex General Hospital, now RWJ Hospital, from 1953 to 1958, and then as the Medical Technologist for the Somerset County Clinical Lab in Somerville, NJ, from 1957 until her retirement in 1991. Sylvia was an active member of her community and was one of the founders of the Investment Club of Plainfield, NJ. She also was active in her professional circle as well, and held membership in the American Society of Clinical Pathology. Sylvia was an avid reader and enjoyed perusing many subjects. She was also known to knit as a pastime and produced many warm garments for her friends and family. Sylvia is predeceased by her parents, John W. Lyness and Meta C. Lyness (Ehlen), by her sister, Margaret Turrentine, her brother John W. Lyness and her partner Olimpio A. DiGiovanni. She is survived by her brother, Thomas Lyness; her honorary daughter Laura Kielar and her husband Jim and their son Evan. She is further survived by her nieces and nephews Margot, Martha, Jacqueline, Suzanne, Michelle, Thomas, Gerald, Kathleen, and John. A visitation will be held on Wednesday, November 4, 2020 at 9:00 am to 11:00 am at Higgins Home for Funerals, 752 Mountain Blvd, Watchung, NJ, followed by a private committal service and entombment at Resurrection Cemetery, Piscataway, NJ. To view the livestream of the committal service please visit www.higginsfuneralhome.com In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Sylvia’s honor to the Parker Memorial Home, 1421 River Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854 or the Alzheimer’s Association of America (www.alz.org). To send condolences, please visit www.higginsfuneralhome.com