Sylvia Lams Jaspers

Sylvia Marie (Lams) Jaspers passed away peacefully on May 27, 2025, at age 88.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, May 30, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Eden, SD. Visitation will be held at the church on Thursday, May 29, from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. A prayer vigil will be held at 7 p.m. Visitation will continue at the church one hour prior to the service on Friday. Burial will be at St. Michael’s Cemetery, Eden.

The service will be live streamed, recorded, and viewable below this obituary.

Sylvia, daughter of Victor and Susie (DeBlouw) Lams, was born on February 22, 1937, in Warren, Michigan at her maternal grandparents’ home. She was the second of six children.

Sylvia was baptized at St. Clement Church in Warren, MI. Growing up, she participated in Girl Scouts and children’s choir, read a book a day, and was often the designated pitcher in elementary school baseball games. She attended Warren Consolidated Schools, graduating as Salutatorian from Warren High in 1954 at the age of 17, having skipped a grade along the way. She started at the University of Detroit, seeking a liberal arts degree and worked at the National Bank of Detroit.

Sylvia met Valery Jaspers while he was stationed with the United States Army at Grosse Pointe, MI. When Valery’s Army buddy married Sylvia’s cousin, they were maid of honor and best man. Their first date was square dancing and when they danced the Schottische, they cleared the floor. (Sylvia and Valery passed on their love of dancing, teaching all of their children to Waltz and Polka on Sunday mornings after church.)

In December of 1955, Sylvia took the train to visit Valery in Eden, South Dakota. After Christmas Eve Mass, Valery proposed. The two were married on June 23,1956, in Warren, MI and made their home near Eden, SD.

Sylvia was an active member of Sacred Heart Parish (Altar Society, choir director, teacher’s aide at the parish school, and religious education teacher). She taught religion classes at Roslyn High School where she was also a substitute teacher. She wrote many programs, plays, and skits for church and family events. Sylvia organized the Hectic Homemaker Overextended Club and enjoyed playing the role of “The Hectic Homemaker” in full costume with a feather duster “scepter.” She dedicated several years working in Human Resources for Dakotah, Inc. in northeast SD.

A master dressmaker, Sylvia created wedding gowns (including her own) and bridesmaid dresses for her family, custom professional suits for several customers, and countless Christmas nightgowns and creations for her children and grandchildren. She was honored for her crewel embroidery work and learned to make Belgian bobbin lace. She could create something out of nothing with her brilliant mind and skilled hands.

A life-long learner, she was often reading and continued taking college courses. Having raised her children, she proudly completed her college degree from the University of South Dakota in 1991.

Sylvia’s legacy is in her children: Valery “Val” (Jane) Jaspers Jr., Suzanne (Loren) Skinner, Denise (Robert) Erickson, Helaine (Richard) Fonder, Judith (Jeffrey) Briggs, and Aleta (Mark) Lindell. Receiving her love, stories, and many prayed rosaries are her 17 grandchildren: Tiffany Jaspers (Johann Bayer), Rebecca (Greg) Anderson; Steven (Haley) Skinner, Terese (Chris) Grayson, Preston Skinner; Joseph Erickson, Hannah Erickson; Rita Fonder, Samuel (Mikayla) Fonder, Abraham (Angela) Fonder, Clarissa (Dylan) Johnson, Michaelann Fonder, Dominic Fonder; Meredith Briggs, Natalie Briggs, Elizabeth Lindell, Caroline Lindell; and great-grandchildren: Margaret, Kate, Hazel, Blair, Molly, Christopher, Sapphira, Emory, Stone, Jerrica, Levi, Dallas, Adaline, Sienna, Hailen, Aiden.

Leading the way to eternal life were her beloved husband of 49 years, Valery Jaspers; her parents: Victor and Susie (DeBlouw) Lams; brothers: Victor and Henry Lams; in-laws: Mathias and Loretta Jaspers; sisters-in-law and their spouses: RosaLee and Melvin Opitz and Germaine and Laverne Rice; nephew, John D. Jaspers; and niece Rita Opitz.

She is survived by her sister and brother-in-law: Mary Susan and John Jaspers; sisters: Carol Lams and Dorothy (Richard) Loverde; sisters-in-law: Barbara (the late Victor) Lams, Andrea (the late Henry Lams/ Jerry) Edwards, and Kathryn (Ken) Goehner.

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