Malcolm Edward Sylvester

He was born in Monroe County, Indiana on November 5th, 1939, to Bertie and Dewey Sylvester. Malcolm had 5 older sisters, Georgianna, Esther, Patsy Jo, Phyllis and Mary Lou. Malcolm was the very unexpected boy after five girls and so loved and adored. Malcolm graduated from Smithville High School in 1958. He enlisted in the Indiana National Guard and served from 1962 to 1968.

As a young man, he was part owner of the Flower Bowl and was employed with Martinsville Brick Factory as an accountant. He then worked at Columbus Indiana Finance as company manager and later at Indiana University as accountant in their Audio/Visual Department which he really enjoyed.

At the Country Church in Harrodsburg, Indiana, Malcolm reclaimed life with Jesus during a revival in 1966, and that’s where he met his forever love, Trudy Kay Hill who was already attending church there. In November of 1966 they became engaged.

Malcolm and Trudy were married February 17, 1967. With much help from both of their fathers, Mac built a beautiful split-level home very close to the church. At that time, Mac was doing the work of an assistant pastor under his brother-in-law and sister, Mary Lou, who pastored the church.

Their first child, son Andrew Malcolm was born January 3, 1968, followed by daughter Patsy Jo on March 25, 1970. Malcolm was ordained to preach the gospel in Trudy’s grandpa’s house during a prayer meeting in 1972. After a trip west with Trudy’s parents, Mac felt the call to move his family to Phoenix, Arizona to start a church there. They soon sold out and moved to Phoenix in August 1973 and were joined by Mac’s parents, his nephew Denny and his wife Karen, his sister Esther and her daughter Chris. More family soon followed.

The Upper Room Church was established January of 1974. As God’s work started to grow so did their family. Their third child and second daughter Jessica Joy was born September 16, 1976.

Malcolm had many jobs while pastoring, and he retired from Motorola in 2000. Malcolm pastored for 25 years plus. In 2000 Malcolm and Trudy made the decision to move from Phoenix to Prescott – Prescott Valley, Arizona where he would live until his death. Jason Lambert became the permanent senior pastor of the Upper Room church in 2011.

Even though Malcolm was no longer the pastor of the Upper Room he would always be the preacher no matter where he was. His last home in Prescott Valley was his favorite. As with every home he and Trudy had, it was the gathering place for family and friends, and he loved looking at the mountains and pronghorn and cattle that he could see from his front porch.

Malcolm is survived by his wife Trudy; his son Andrew Sylvester and his wife Juvy and their sons, Baily and PJ; his daughter Patsy Lestikow and her husband Jeff; his daughter Jessica Sanchez and her husband David and their children Dillon, Emma, Derek, Amanda, Josh and eight great grandchildren.

Malcolm is also survived by one sister, Phyllis Hale in Springville, Indiana and one nephew Reece Johnston and three nieces, Connie Hale-Barrett, Theresa Johnston and Chris Johnston.

He was preceded in death by his parents Dewey and Bertie Sylvester, his sisters Georgiana, Esther, Patsy Jo and Mary Lou. He was also preceded in death by two nephews and two nieces.

During Malcolm’s life and ministry, many lives were transformed as they were led to Christ. Malcolm had such a clear revelation of who Jesus is and it was his passion and conviction to share that truth with everyone he met. The following verse is one of many that conveys that conviction:

St. John 14:18-20 (KJV)

I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.