QUEENSBURY – Sybil Waimon-Kaphan passed away Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2015, surrounded by her loving son, Larry Waimon and daughter-in-law Jeannie.
Sybil was born May 1, 1924 in New York City and grew up in E. Orange, New Jersey.
At age 16, she was awarded a full scholarship at Parson’s School of Design in New York City. She left to volunteer for the war effort and subsequently married her first husband, pilot Matt Waimon who was killed in 1983 at the hands of a drunken driver.
Prior to the tragedy, Sybil and Matt moved to Livingston, New Jersey, where they raised a daughter, Gail, and two sons, Larry and younger brother Chuck.
Sybil was very active in civic affairs and she and her husband were a founding family of Temple Beth Shalom, where she taught religious school.
Sybil became a chapter president of Livingston Hadassah and went on to serve the Northern New Jersey Region as vice president.
Following the death of her husband, she eventually married Monroe Kaphan and resided in Parsippany, New Jersey, until his death in 2008. Not wanting his mother to remain there by herself, son and daughter-in-law, Larry and Jeannie, designed and oversaw construction of a home addition which provided a safe and loving environment. The Adirondack styled “home-within the-home” furnished Sybil with much comfort and happiness, providing her with many joyous remembrances of family vacations spent in Bolton Landing.
Her son Larry, (a retired Millburn, Short-Hills, New Jersey patrolman), explains that this would not have been possible without the loving approval and participation of his wife, Jeannie, an RN veteran of 44 years in the oncology ward, who served hospice after retirement and became patient care coordinator for High Peaks Hospice. She subsequently volunteered her service as an RN for House of Grace Hospice. Jeannie’s compassion and abilities furnished Sybil with true end-of-life comfort. This permitted Larry to keep a promise not to ever place his mother into an assisted living environment.
Surviving family members also includes Gail’s life partner, Leonard Friedman; her son, Chuck, and his wife, Margit; her grandchildren, Jared and his wife, Victoria Waimon, their children Wesley and Isaac, Adam and his wife, Sara Waimon, (Cantor) Erik Contzius and his wife, Monica Flaherty and their son, Jacob; her grandson, Ari Contzius and his wife, Ashley, and their son, Cole; her stepchildren Jeff and Jill Kaphan, and her husband, John Ogonowski and their daughter, Ryley, and son-in-law, Martin and his wife Janet Contzius.
The family wishes to extend profound gratitude to Carol from Home Instead, the loving, caring home aids provided by Interim Health Care and High Peaks Hospice staff, (in particular, Nurse “Matt”). Overseeing Sybil’s care and arranging for these wonderful care providers, was the remarkable staff at Support Link in Queensbury, and a very special acknowledgment to the medical practice of Dr. Robert Evans and his compassionate staff.
In lieu of flowers and condolences, son Larry respectfully requests that any donations be sent to Steve Caporizzo’s PET CONNECTION or SPCA of Upstate, NY in Sybil’s memory.
There are no calling hours and there will be a private graveside service for family.