Sylvia Ann Caviness

Sylvia Ann Caviness (Johnson) was born on November 8, 1938, to Lessie Mae Moore Caviness and Willis Edward Caviness in Burlington, North Carolina. Sylvia was the oldest child of this union.

She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Graham, where she served as a member of the youth choir, the Baptist Training Unit (BTU), and a youth delegate. This would allow Sylvia to attend other churches near and far and assorted community events that would share ideas and involvement of young people that would be reported back to the local churches.

Sylvia’s education was achieved through the Graham public school district, where she later received her high school diploma from Graham High School, Graham, North Carolina, Class of 1958. Due to how Sylvia valued all that crossed her path, her politeness and genuinely respectfulness of others, it is easy to see why her class superlatives named her as “Most Courteous”.

Sylvia met and married Elmo Johnson, Jr in North Carolina, where he served in the United States Army. Together they moved to Wichita, Kansas, where Elmo could not wait to share his beautiful, Jesus-loving bride with his parents, the late Elder Joseph and Mother Lucille Smith, whom Sylvia loved and cherished. It is at this time that Sylvia became a member of the Church of God in Christ. Sylvia and Elmo were blessed with five children, Anita Mitchelle, Teresa Arlene (known to all as Lady), Patricia E.M., Robert Vincent, and Paula Rochelle.

Sylvia worked for many years, including as a cashier at Jabara’s grocery store on the corner of 21st and Grove, and much like many of the air capital population, she worked in the aircraft industry that included both Cessna (now Textron) and Boeing, where she retired in 2001.

In April 1992, Sylvia was the victim of a horrible act of crime, where she was shot 7 times at her home, leaving her paralyzed and in a wheelchair. This, however, did not stop her smile, her love for Jesus, kindness, and her biggest love language, the ACT OF GIVING. Through her determination, Sylvia returned to work 11 months after the incident and continued at Boeing until her retirement.

Sylvia is preceded in death by her parents, parents-in-law, her beautiful daughter Teresa (Lady) Johnson, oldest sister, Gladys, and her brothers James, Robert, James (Doc), and Francis (Joe).

She is survived by her children, Anita Johnson Smith, Patricia Johnson George, Robert Johnson (April), and Paula Johnson, 12 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren; a brother Herbert Caviness of Jacksonville, North Carolina; sisters, Carolyn Boulton of Nashville, Tennessee, and Peggie Timberlake of Durham, North Carolina; her treasured daughter, Constance Nash, and bonus granddaughters Danika, Yuliana, and Tierra.