Sylvia Mae Makinen

Sylvia enjoyed cooking, gardening, cruises, riverboat cruises, and word searches. She had a lifelong love of oxen pulls and draft horse pulls, and cherished going to fairs all over New England with her husband, Arnold Jay Makinen, to watch the oxen and horses. She and Arnold would help weigh the oxen at the Cheshire Fair alongside Howard and Linda Wilbur.

She is survived by her husband, Arnold Jay Makinen; her daughters, Pamela J. (Makinen) Neal and her husband Alan Neal of Chesterfield, NH, and Paula J. (Makinen) Leslie and her husband Scott Leslie of Westmoreland, NH; her grandchildren, Elisha (Leslie) Bebey and her husband Jon of Winchester, Deanna (Leslie) Frazier and her husband Jamie of West Chesterfield, Joshua Leslie and his wife Kate of North Walpole, Benjamin Neal and his wife Amy of Chesterfield, Nathan Leslie and his wife Ashlee of Westmoreland, and Jacob Neal and his wife Amelia of Westmoreland; great-grandchildren, Kaitlyn& Megan Kilanski, Austin Bebey; Dylan & Jacob Sault; Ronan Leslie; Tiffin, Liam & Riley Neal; Reegan & Kinslee Leslie; Vera & Phoebe Neal. She is also survived by her brother, Roger Wilbur and his wife Nancy of Surry, and her aunt, Linda Wilbur of Surry.

Sylvia was predeceased by her parents, Dorothy and Denman Wilbur; her sister, Beverly Blackmore; and her uncle, Howard Wilbur.

The family extends a heartfelt thank you to Megan Kilanski for all the loving care she gave to Sylvia, and to neighbors Deb Sanders and Kate Thompson for their weekly dinner visits.

The family would also like to thank Paula Leslie for the love and dedication she gave so selflessly, without her, Sylvia would not have been able to remain at home.

A graveside service will be held on Thursday, August 20, 2026, at 1:00 PM at the Village Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Sylvia's name to the fair she loved most of all: The Cheshire Fair Association, P.O. Box 434, Keene, NH 03431. Please note Sylvia Makinen so the Association may acknowledge her.