Sylvia H. deSalme

Sylvia Grace Haverlah de Salme (aka Gacie, Mubus, TinaSibba, Syl) passed away at Aspen Siesta in Denver, Colorado, on December 27th, 2019 following a three-month, intense battle with an aggressive cancer that gained the upper hand in her sweet and loving body. She was 79 years old.

Sylvia was born May 7th, 1940 in a farmhouse (with a dirt floor!) on a cotton farm near Orange Grove, Texas, to Leona Koehn Haverlah and Paul Jones Haverlah. She dedicated her life to the loving care of and service to all who crossed her path. She had a life-long passion for learning, was an accomplished pianist, an avid reader, and a lover of all animals, particularly dogs. Sylvia always fought for the underdog while never letting anyone forget she had their back. She was known for saying, “I’m in your corner.”

In 1958 Sylvia married John William de Salme, Sr. in Orange Grove, Texas. After giving birth to first-born son John in Texas, they moved to Iowa City, Iowa. There she gave birth to son Robert and daughter Suzanne and subsequently embraced her career as a devoted housewife and mother.

Sylvia enjoyed being a volunteer, a school crossing guard, and a library monitor. She eventually served in a variety of secretarial and administrative support positions for the Iowa City Public Schools, and then finished her career as Administrative Professional at the University of Iowa Office of Campus Programs and Student Activities. It was here that she met her best friend, Susan A. Brasel.

After retiring from the University of Iowa in 1998, Sylvia moved to Centennial, Colorado to join Susan in her real estate business. She met and made many new friends in Colorado and was described by them as being a loving, humorous, and generous soul. In 2004, Sylvia and Susan settled in Greenwood Village, where Susan’s brother Tim Brasel, his wife, Jan, and their sons Tyler, Justin, and Colton became her Colorado family.

Sylvia continually expressed a desire to help animals in need and made regular contributions to many animal rescue organizations such as The Dumb Friends League and The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. She will be sorely missed by her goldendoodle, Tilly.

Survivors include housemate and best friend, Susan A. Brasel of Greenwood Village, Colorado; sons John William de Salme, Jr. of Warrenton, Virginia and Robert Eduard de Salme of Burlington, Iowa; daughter Suzanne Estelle de Salme of Loudonville, Ohio; brother David Lee Haverlah of Orange Grove, Texas; four grandchildren: Heather, Amanda, Levi, and Izak; three great grandchildren: Phoenix, Everett, and Isla; and countless friends who all loved her dearly.

Memorial Services will be conducted in late Spring of 2020 at Olinger Chapel Hill in Centennial, Colorado. In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to The Dumb Friends League, 2080 S. Quebec Street, Denver, Colorado, 80231, or 303.751.5772, or https://www.ddfl.org/.