Sylvia L. Valentino

Sylvia Lawson Valentino, 85, left this life Saturday, October 20, 2018, at her home in Riderwood Village in the loving company of her family. Sylvia was the wife of Alfonso Valentino, the daughter of Adam and Veronica Levicki of Sayreville, New Jersey and the sister of Arthur Lewicki and Mother Mary Amadeus, CSSF (Florence Levicki) (both deceased).

Born and raised in Sayreville, New Jersey, Sylvia graduated from St. Mary's High School in South Amboy, and attended Douglas College. She received her degree from Newark State Teachers College. She married Lawrence J. Lawson (deceased), in 1954. Sylvia began her working life as a teacher and eventually moved into sales. The family relocated to Silver Spring, Maryland in 1967.

Sylvia was a stellar performer for  Electrolux for many years and worked in office furniture sales before she got her real estate license. She was a member of the million dollar sales club at Long & Foster in Silver Spring.

Sylvia married Alfonso Valentino in 1986. They soon moved to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, where Sylvia realized a lifelong dream of living near the ocean. She and Al also traveled widely. Sylvia joined the Sun Realty team in Kitty Hawk and, as she approached retirement, Sylvia brought another dream to life by becoming an artist. She greatly enjoyed her creative pursuits and studied with a number of well-known teachers. She worked in watercolors, collages and mixed-media and won several awards at juried shows.

Sylvia and Al moved back to Silver Spring in 2002, where they took up residence at Riderwood Village. She contributed her time and talents to the community in many areas: starting an artists group and a meditation group, working with the philanthropy department on fundraising projects and events, assisting the sales department with tours, open houses and advertising, and coordinating fashion shows.

An avid reader throughout her life, Sylvia was a vibrant, lovely, outgoing, free-spirited, creative, caring and relentlessly optimistic person who brought joy and fun to whatever she did. She touched the lives of many, many people who will miss her greatly. She was beautiful to the very end.

In addition to her husband, Sylvia is survived by her daughter Michelle Valentino, and her sons Mark Lawson and Michael Lawson, Michael’s wife Lorraine, and their son Stephan, his wife Angie, and two beloved great-grandchildren, June and Leo, as well as her sister-in-law Jane Lewicki, niece Vicki Lewicki and nephew Randy Lewicki. She also leaves many unofficial “sisters” and adopted “daughters” to whom she was a great friend and confidant.

Sylvia asked that memorial donations be made to the Riderwood Benevolent Care Fund. Donations may be mailed to: Riderwood Philanthropy, 3110 Gracefield Road, Silver Spring, MD 20904. Please note “Sylvia Valentino Memorial” in the memo field on the check.