Sylvia Denise Needem

Sylvia Denise Needem was called home to be with the Lord and her "Mommy" in the early morning of March 1, 2017 at Mercy Springfield Hospital. Heaven gained another angel the day Sylvia departed this earth. Sylvia was born on January 24, 1969 to Lorene (Brewer-Needem) Turner and Sidney Needem. She graduated from East High School, Wichita Kansas in 1990. Sylvia was an active member of Pitts Chapel United Methodist Church in Springfield, where she loved to praise the Lord and sing and talk about Jesus. Sylvia was special, and not because of being down-syndrome, where doctors had told her parents that she would not live past the age of 15. In a "Miss Syl" fashion ("spunky and spit-fire"), Sylvia lived an additional 33 years, and made each moment count up until the time she was called Home to be with her "Mommy". Sylvia loved going to church and spending time with her family. Sylvia also loved going to the Lady Bear Basketball games, Springfield Cardinal Baseball Games, "making arts", going to the movies, going on adventures with her sister Sandra and her nieces and nephews, having the "Sunday Ice Cream" social at Braums with her Dad and we cannot forget how she would "cut a rug" with her younger brother, Robert at the yearly Park Day Dance. She leaves to mourn her passing her father: Sidney O'Neal Needem of Springfield, Missouri. Siblings: Sydney (Needem) Garfield (Husband Nathaniel Garfield) of Tulsa, Oklahoma; Sandra (Turner) Russell (Husband Darrell Russell) of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Robert Turner of Springfield, Missouri and Valerie (Turner) Overton (Husband Alfred Overton), of Sanford, Florida. Seven nieces and nephews: Calvin Dobbins, Kahlil McGilberry, Robert Turner, Lilico Corner, Lyric McGilberry, Carolina Overton, Imala Corner and Samyna Satar. Special friends: Jane Pike, Yolanda Fewell and Ned Reynolds and everyone that "Miss Syl" touched. She was preceded in death by her mother and step-father. Memorial Services will be held Saturday, March 25, 2017 11:30am at Pitts Chapel UMC. A "Home Going" Celebration will be held at the Springfield Community Center at 1:30pm, with a balloon release to take place at 3:05pm. Memorial donations can be made to the Springfield Community Center, Pitts Chapel UMC, or the Springfield Boys and Girls Club.