Sylvia Gulla

An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, Sylvia was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around her, she seemed to be eternally happy, and she willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life she touched. For Sylvia, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, she could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Sylvia really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Sylvia was born on June 20, 1917 at Fordham Hospital in New York City. A child of non-English speaking immigrants Andrew and Caroline Ruffino, Sylvia was raised in The Bronx, New York. As a youngster, she fell ill with diphtheria, a bacterial infection affecting the heart and nervous system. Following her recovery, the family later faced the “Great Depression” our country endured. Despite these other problems, looking back she was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. She couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. She succeeded in entertaining her entire family. Even as a child, Sylvia had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around her.

Always a good playmate, Sylvia was easygoing and fun loving. She managed to lighten the mood wherever she was. She seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Sylvia managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Sylvia was raised with 3 siblings. She had older brothers John and Alfred and older sister Emma. As the youngest, she affectionately came to be known as “Babe”.

All of Sylvia's playful good humor was evident in her childhood. She was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and an enthusiasm for life that allowed her to be constantly on the go. As a result, Sylvia experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited her very well.

Sylvia never actually encountered a person whom she did not get along with. She was drawn to individuals and crowds, using her gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate her audience. This quality allowed Sylvia to continually develop new relationships, ever widening her circle of friends. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Sylvia was always right at home participating in the event. Sylvia utilized her interest in others as a great way to connect with them. While growing up, some of her best friends were Phyliss and Netti. Later in life, she became friends with Gerri, Vicki, Mary and Sandy. Sylvia loved sharing life and having her home filled with family and people she knew.

The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Sylvia very easy to approach. On June 30, 1940 Sylvia exchanged wedding vows with Joseph Gulla in a religious ceremony in The Bronx, New York. She tried hard not to impose on her spouse. She was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage. Sylvia was blessed with 2 children, one son, Frank and one daughter Caroline. While their children were very young, Joe was drafted into the military during the latter part of World War II. The boom years after the war were a happy time for Sylvia and her family and they bought their first home in 1952, where they continued to live until they moved to California in 1973.

In Joe’s middle years, he came down with serious illnesses and Sylvia toughed it out. But, she was widowed in 1977 when Joe suddenly passed away at age 56. Well before that, Sylvia experienced other tragedies and hard knocks. The sudden loss of her very close 13 year old nephew, Andrew (Sister’s son) in 1958 was impossibly hard on the family. Sylvia’s oldest brother John, died, without warning in 1966, also at age 56. Shortly after that, she and her two remaining siblings took charge of the care of their elderly parents, who would today be diagnosed as having dementia.

Following the move from New York City to Los Angeles and some-time after Joe’s passing, Sylvia moved in with her daughter Caroline and her husband George (who treated her as his own mother). The 5 foot dynamo kept things running as Caroline and George worked. Sylvia even took daytime care of one of her great-grandchildren for several years to help his working parents. She also loved her little vegetable garden which provided some meals.

Perhaps the reason Sylvia related so well to children was the fact that she never really completely grew up herself. The ability to be just a kid at heart helped her in raising her own children. She was also blessed with 5 grandchildren Frank, Donna (Husband: Derek), Joe, Caroline and Joey (Wife: Kris) and 8 Great Grandchildren, Frankie, Anthony, Gianna, Nathan, Branson, Bryce, Brennan and Savannah. Sylvia had the ability to focus her attention on the present moment. If she was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of her attention was directed. Sylvia's compassionate side prevented her from being a strict disciplinarian, and she could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. She could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Sylvia had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

In life, Sylvia was a real people person. She had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and her enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. When dealing with various projects and problems, Sylvia was an adaptable realist, using her common sense and trusting her experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Sylvia's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around her to see Sylvia as an excellent problem solver. Her primary occupation was a homemaker and she was a beautician before marriage.

Sylvia enjoyed her leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. Her favorite pursuits were dancing, sewing, collecting family pictures, travel, and playing with grandchildren. Sylvia was content to enjoy her hobbies and share her interests with others. Recreational sports included miniature golf, bowling and swimming. Sylvia was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite events whenever she got the opportunity. Tops on her list were Baseball (Yankees), The Olympics and Tennis.

Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Sylvia recognized that her faith was important to her throughout her life. She was a member of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church. She relished the good things in life. She enjoyed homemaking chores, including cooking. She loved spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Sylvia had an adventurous nature and it is no surprise that she loved to travel and to visit new and different places. She was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. She was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations included travel to Italy, Hawaii, Egypt, Israel, California and Miami, Fl.

Sylvia was a lover of animals and cherished her pets, enjoying them almost as much as she enjoyed being around other people. Sylvia's favorite was Shorty, (mixed breed: part Pomeranian, part Chihuahua). They were best friends for the last 2 years.

She found pleasure in travelling and interacting with her family Even after leaving New York, Sylvia continued to stay in touch with her old friends and she also made plenty of new friends after moving from Agoura, California to Las Vegas, NV about 11 years ago. She enjoyed the casinos in Las Vegas, especially the penny slot machines. Obviously at 94, she out-lived many family members and friends, but as a blessing, she experienced the joy, growth and milestones of grandchildren, great-grandchildren and other relatives and friends.

Sylvia died peacefully in her sleep at home on September 6, 2011 in Summerlin located in Las Vegas, NV from age-related problems at 94. Her legacy is her family. She is survived by her daughter Caroline and her husband, George; son Frank and his wife, Connie; 5 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren. Services were held at Palm Mortuary, Las Vegas. Sylvia was laid to rest in Westlake Village, Ca. (Valley Oaks Cemetery).

Sylvia brought joy to all of those around her. She never had a mean bone in her body. She loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. She loved to share her energy, wit, and her zest for all of her activities with her friends and family. She will be remembered with a smile. We are reminded of the thought that God’s gift to us is Life: how you live your life is your gift to God. Sylvia brings a gift to God.