Longtime Corte Madera resident, Madelene (Lynn) Silva passed away peacefully on January 15, 2023 at the age of 98.
Lynn was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma to Scott and Elsie Miller. When she was fourteen, she joined her two older sisters to form a professional singing trio called The Miller Sisters. They toured across the country and ended up in Hollywood where Lynn briefly attended Hollywood High School. When the trio eventually disbanded, Lynn returned to Tulsa and graduated from Tulsa Central High in 1941.
Lynn fell in love with San Francisco after several visits to her sister, Ruth, and decided to stay. She got a job with United Airlines, making many lifelong friends in the process. After Lynn was promoted to International Reservations, she took some amazing work-related trips. Lynn reminisced about seeing Waikiki with only three hotels on it, being one of the first passengers to fly the polar route from San Francisco to Copenhagen (in a suit and heels of course), and that 70 years ago the Eiffel tower “wasn’t that crowded”.
Through friends at United, Lynn met and, in 1949, married William (Bill) Silva. He was the owner of Studio Electronics, a television shop on Union Street. After their two children were born, the couple decided to forsake the many stairs up to their Russian Hill apartment. They moved to Corte Madera in 1959 and never looked back.
Lynn was an active school volunteer and avid gardener. She was a longstanding member of Tiburon Baptist Church and particularly enjoyed bible study classes. When her children were in high school, she went to work at Fireman’s Fund Insurance. She worked as a bookkeeper there for 18 years. After retirement, she traveled with Bill and helped care for her grandchildren.
Bill passed away in 2006. Lynn is survived by her daughter, Gale Harding (David), her son Matthew Silva (Lynda), her three grandchildren, Leslie Harding, James Harding and Daniella Silva, and many beloved nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her sisters, Mildred Clarke and Ruth Hensley, and her brother Scott Miller.
Lynn loved family, long drives, lunches out, 49ers games, and all things Christmas. Her family feels blessed that she was able to enjoy all these things right up until her passing. She will be greatly missed.
At Lynn’s request, there will be no memorial service.
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