Sydney Joy Shanks

Sydney attended UCLA at a young age and graduated at age 20 with a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics. Soon after, she began her career as a math teacher at Grant High School in the San Fernando Valley. During that time, she earned her Master's Degree at CSUN and graduated, in 1983, with honors. Within those busy years, Sydney also left time for family and enjoyed traveling throughout the US.

In 1990, she began her career as a math professor at College of the Canyons, where she taught for 23 years, in the Santa Clarita Valley. She was known amongst her peers as being "enthusiastically opinionated." Amongst her students, she was known as "strict, but fair." Sydney felt close to her students and took pride in their accomplishments.

Sydney loved working in the SCV and had professed to her peers how fortunate she was to work at COC. She was also proud to have owned her own home in "beautiful Valencia."

After retirement, she found great joy in donating to animal charities. She had a soft spot for horses, tigers and mules. Sydney had also loved her rescue cats Katy, Stephanie and then Mimi.

During retirement, Sydney filled her days with shopping and lunches with her close friend Judy and her cousin Carol, both from SCV. She also enjoyed joining in on conversations, with a group of friends who met at the local Starbucks, a couple times a week.

Sydney was a presence and will be fondly missed. She is survived by her small family and treasured friends.