Sylvia Lecher Birckhead

BIRCKHEAD, MRS. SYLVIA LECHER Spring Lake, MI Mrs. Sylvia Lecher Birckhead passed away peacefully, Thursday, August 21, 2003, four days prior to her 58th wedding anniversary to her husband, Lewis. She was born in Milwaukee, WI on November 28, 1919 to Louis & Antionette Lecher. Her name reflects the life her parents chose to give their only child. She always loved outdoor life & said she majored in ''field trips'' in college. When she graduated in 1941, jobs out of doors were few & far between, so she channeled her interest in photography into the medical field instead. She then used knowledge she acquired about plants to earn employment in the field of wood preservation at the U.S. Forest Products Lab in Madison, WI. Shortly after the end of WWII, she married Lewis & they started their family in Bradford, PA. The birth of their third child, Eleanor, necessitated that Sylvia devote much of her time to the education of the deaf. In search of a good oral deaf school, the family moved to Grand Rapids, MI where they found what they felt Eli needed. The League of Women Voters led to her participation in the field of mental health. And living in Grand Haven, she was at last able to once again pursue her concern for native plants & the environment. Many knew her through her participation & support of numerous non-profit organizations dedicated to serving environmental causes. Throughout her life, she enjoyed traveling from Australia to Ireland in pursuit of native plants. She adventured from such remote places as Kashmir to an obscure volcano in Indonesia. When Lewis retired, they went together from Bali to Bankok & participated in numerous trips with Elderhostel. She traveled by foot, canoe, pony & bicycle along with more conventional methods. Sylvia is survived by her husband, Lewis, as well as her three children: Carolyn Matlack of Mooresville, NC, Larry Birckhead of Vancouver, British Columbia, & Eleanor McCowan of Salt Lake City, UT. She is also survived by her granddaughter, Rhoda Brock & husband Wayne, with their two children, Corey & Mikaela of Knoxville, TN & by grandson, Jim Pokorny fo St. Louis, MO. A Memorial Service is planned for Sylvia at the First Presbyterian Church in Grand Haven, MI on Tuesday, August 26, 2003 at 3:00 P.M. An informal celebration of her life will be held immediately following the service at the Grand Haven Golf Club. Memorial donations may be made to the Kitchel-Lindquist Dune Preserve Fund or Hospice of North Ottawa Community. CLOCK-Grand Haven