Sylvia Ghaith

Disclaimer: the following has been told to us over the years, but details weren’t her strong point, so take them with a grain of salt.

Sylvia (Williams) Ghaith, uncharacteristically, left us peacefully on February 21, 2024. She will be missed by her children, grandchildren, sisters, friends, and all makers of Chardonnay.

Born in Wales in 1945 while her dad, William Williams, was serving in WWII, her mother, Rita, raised her during British austerity. Growing up during that time was the foundation for her tenacity and toughness. She was the oldest of five and tired of peeling potatoes for the household, at 18, decided to move to Boston to become a nanny.

Sylvia hated the brats she took care of and didn’t like picking up their dog’s poo, so she moved to Chicago and worked at Filene’s Basement. Hanging out at the YMCA one night, she met the swarthy Zaki Ghaith while playing ping pong. As an indicator of her later addiction to soap operas, they had a dramatic courtship which included throwing her engagement ring overboard on the QE2. They eventually settled in the Bay Area, had 3 children, and opened a few grocery stores. Fremont Market was the neighborhood grocery store and is where they built their community for 30 years.

After Zak passed in 2001, Sylvia rebuilt her life and had a second career as the eccentric attendance lady at Mattos Elementary. She made close friends and they could often be found at happy hour in the Elephant Bar, attending concerts, or – wait for it – visiting local wineries. She also enjoyed spending time with her sister Velda and grandkids Nicholas, Ryan, Zachary, Madden, Jackson, and Charlie.

Although she wouldn’t win any awards for being the warmest person, she showed up when you needed her and was always the first one to lighten a mood with an inappropriate joke. Her wit and (sometimes embarrassing) sense of humor will be missed. Her kids, Hani, Sara, and Noele thank everyone for their kind words, and we especially thank her sister Velda for being the one person in which we could always rely. She is also survived by her sisters in England, Vivienne and Joyce.

In lieu of flowers, please consider buying yourself a lottery ticket and donating to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (afsp.org).

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