Former Falls Church resident, Sylvia Fetner, died on Friday, February 25, in Wilmington, NC, surrounded by her family. Sylvia was born on July 22, 1942 in Asheboro, NC. She and her husband, Jack, moved to Falls Church in 1968, where they resided for 33 years. Upon retirement, the couple moved to Colonial Beach, NC.
Ms. Fetner was well known to the city’s children. She was an active volunteer at Mt. Daniel School and George Mason Middle-High School, a sponsor for the Patriots Fife and Drum Corps, and for many years, taught Arts and Crafts at Poplar Heights Swim Club. But her real claim to fame came in 1976 when the Falls Church Presbyterian Church agreed to host a drop-in day care program. Sylvia was the first and only director of the program. A generation of Falls Church children attended “Fetner’s School,” where they were well cared for and entertained by stories, art projects, games, and treats from their loving Ms. Fetner.
Sylvia is survived by her husband, Jack; children, Cathy, of Cary, NC; Jack and his wife, Dee, of High Point, NC; and Christopher and his wife, Jeanne, of Newtown, PA; grandchildren Jackson and Clay of High Point, and Avery and Hudson of Newtown; and sister, Judy Huff.
Visitation will be at Murphy’s Funeral Home in Falls Church on Friday, March 11, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. A funeral service will be held at Murphy’s on Saturday, March 12, at 11 a.m. Sylvia will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to the American Diabetes Foundation.
