Sylvia Goelitz Stanley

Sylvia Goelitz Stanley, 87, of Polson, MT passed away on Saturday, November 28, 2009 at St. Joseph Retirement Community in Polson. Born on May 20, 1922, in Rochester, NY, she was a daughter of the late Walter A. Goelitz and Hazel Graser Goelitz. Sylvia attended Bayside High School in New York and then continued her education at Antioch College from 1939-1941. She then moved on to Columbia University where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1944. Sylvia stayed in New York until 1946 when she moved west to Missoula, MT where she taught nursery school at the University of Montana. In July 1949, Sylvia married Philip Stanley. Sylvia started Stanley Day Care Center in 1957, in her home on 6th Street, which operated until 1967 when she went to work for Missoula Head Start. Sylvia retired from the Head Start Program in 1985. Sylvia believed in young childhood education for all and dedicated her life to teaching. With her retirement, Sylvia devoted herself to volunteer work at St. Patrick's Hospital until she and Phil moved to Polson. Not one to just sit around, she picked up her volunteer work at St. Joseph Hospital in the cafeteria, worked with the craft group and also worked at Cherry Valley School in the reading program. Sylvia was a life master in duplicate bridge. Next to her family, bridge, teaching, bowling and volunteering were her enjoyment in life. Her father, mother, her sister Jackie, and husband Phil precede Sylvia in death. Sylvia is survived by her sister Gloria McGann of Plains, MT: her children, Stephen Stanley of Polson and Carol Stockdale of Orting, WA: grandchildren, Shari Erickson of Orting, WA, Kaleb McCammant of Las Vegas, NV, and Nicole Stanley of Wasilla, AK: great-grandchildren, Kyle, Kaden, and Amy Lynn. A memorial service for Sylvia is planned in the spring. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Breast Cancer Research or to St. Joseph Retirement Community in Polson. Messages of condolence may be sent to the family online by visiting www.groganfuneralhome.com. The staff at Grogan Funeral Home and Crematory, Polson considers it a privilege to care for Mrs. Stanley's family.
Read Sylvia Stanley's Obituary and Guestbook.