Sylvia Avila Molina

Sylvia Avila Molina died peacefully on March 22, 2026, surrounded by her three daughters and many members of her extended family. She will be remembered as a generous and energetic friend, a passionate advocate for the students she served as a teacher and high school administrator, a talented and creative artist, an inquisitive intellectual, and, above all, a devoted, giving and loving mother and grandmother.

Born on March 7, 1946 in Los Angeles, California, Sylvia was the second child of Louis and Teódula Molina. Education was of paramount importance to Sylvia. After graduating from California State University, Los Angeles, she raised three daughters while also attending graduate school, eventually obtaining master’s degrees in Spanish and education from San Diego State University and Point Loma University, respectively. For many years, Sylvia taught English as a second language to adults and Spanish to high school students. Always spirited and tenacious on behalf of her students, Sylvia also served as a vice principal and principal at various high schools in San Diego and Orange County.

After her retirement in 2009, Sylvia devoted herself to her family and her art. She moved from California to Georgia to be closer to her daughters Kim and Erica and their families and frequently visited her daughter Monica and her family in Massachusetts. As an artist, she worked primarily with pastels and oils and exhibited her work in the Atlanta area. Known as Nana to her ten grandchildren, Sylvia cultivated deep, mentoring relationships with each of them, sharing her love of art, literature, movies, and food. She was very proud of her children and grandchildren and delighted in their accomplishments.

Sylvia was preceded in death by her parents, Louis and Teódula Molina, her brothers, Louis and Michael, and her sister, Nancy. She is survived by her daughters Monica (Tom) LaFond of Sharon, Massachusetts, Kimberly (Stephen) Burgess of Sharpsburg, Georgia, and Erica (Kelly) Guthrie of Atlanta, Georgia. She is also survived by her grandchildren: Henry, Benjamin, David, Evangeline and Teddy LaFond; Jacob and Daniel Burgess; Annaleigh (Nick) Ciaravino; and Townes and Vivienne Guthrie; and her sister Anita (Richard) Gonzalez of Los Angeles, California. She will be greatly missed by all who loved her.

A funeral Mass celebrating Sylvia’s life will be held on Saturday, May 9 at 2 pm at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, 2855 Briarcliff Road NE, Atlanta, Georgia. A private interment will follow in Los Angeles, California.