Florence Silva, longtime Sebastopol resident

Florence E. Silva, 94, died in her home on Dec. 15. Born in
Healdsburg to Frank and Ethel McDowell, she grew up on several
dairies her parents ran. She graduated from Analy High in ’27 and
from Santa Rosa Business College. She and her husband, Joe Silva,
opened Silva’s Grocery store at the corner of Jewell and Bodega
Avenue in Sebastopol. They ran it for 32 years and retired from the
grocery business in ’70. While working at the store she opened a
yarn shop and started teaching knitting as an adult education
class. The Sebastopol Chamber of Commerce named her Volunteer of
the Year in ’96. She was an associate member of Autumn Leaves, a
member of St. Sebastian’s Y.L.I. for more than 75 years and helped
with the St. Sebastian Junior Y.L.I. for many years. She also
helped with her daughters’ Camp Fire Girl activities. She is
survived by her daughters Patty Lennox and her husband, John of
Sebastopol, Marianne Saxe and her husband, Gary of Sebastopol, her
daughter-in-law Joyce Silva of Redding, her sisters Mary Baldi,
Jerry Prather, Alice Politi and her brother Charles McDowell, nine
grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death
by her husband, Joe Silva, her son, Bill Silva and her brother, Bud
McDowell. Family and friends are invited to a funeral mass at 10
a.m. on Dec. 20 at St. Sebastian’s Catholic Church, 7983 Covert Ln.
in Sebastopol. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. on Dec. 19 at
Parent-Sorensen Mortuary, 301 S. Main St. in Sebastopol. A vigil
service will be at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 19 at Parent-Sorensen.
Donations in Florence’s name can be made to Heartland Hospice
Services, 2455 Bennett Valley Rd., suite B-214, Santa Rosa
95404.