Sylvia Ann Thrush, 58, of Ketchum, died Sept. 29, 2009, at Blaine Manor of cancer. Sylvia was born on Dec. 31, 1950. She was the daughter of Harmer and Violet Weeden, of State College, Pa. During her childhood she lived in State College.
Sylvia studied civil engineering at Pennsylvania State University. She began her career as a civil engineer, working for the Washington Public Power Supply System on nuclear projects in Hanford, Wash., oil well infrastructure projects in western Australia and mining projects in New Guinea. In 1982 she moved to the San Francisco Bay Area where her passion for entrepreneurship developed as she worked in a variety of executive positions: vice president for sales and marketing at Gateway Systems in San Francisco, senior vice president at Tera Systems in Berkeley, a founder of INDUS International in San Francisco, executive vice president of Uniteq Application Systems in Redwood City, Calif., and president and CEO of Vasona Technology (now REACT) in Los Altos Hills, Calif. Most recently, Sylvia was an executive recruiter with Tandem Recruiting Group in Ketchum, Idaho, where she specialized in executive searches for high-tech companies in the Bay Area.
Above all, Sylvia was a devoted mother to her daughter, Jamie. She showed up not only to parent but to be an active member of the community in her many volunteer roles—she never said "no." She was Hemingway School's Parent Auxiliary president, leader of her daughter's Girl Scout troop and a member of the congregation of St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Ketchum.
Sylvia loved to be with a group of people having a good laugh or supporting a good cause. She was a joiner, a participant in life, not a spectator. She was attentive to others, empathetic, supportive and always willing to step up and provide help where needed.
Sylvia is survived by her daughter, Jamie Graninger of Ketchum; mother, Violet Weeden of State College, Pa.; cousins, Arthur and Susan Weeden of Columbia, S.C.; brother, Paul (Betty) Weeden, of State College, Pa; uncle, Alfred Lanfear (Tressa) of Glens Falls, N.Y.; five nieces and nephews; seven great nieces and nephews; and Oboe, the beloved family dog.
Please join in a celebration of Sylvia's life at St. Thomas Episcopal Church on Sunday, Oct. 11, at 4 p.m. There will be a potluck reception in the church basement immediately after the service. In lieu of flowers, a donation for Jamie Graninger's education would be appreciated. Please drop the donation off at Iconoclast Books.
