It has been a few weeks since EKU Libraries lost a staff member. Sylvia Genest worked as the Team Leader for Catalog Maintenance. Not only was she good at her job but she was an outstanding person. I have never worked in a place where someone has passed away and so this was a totally new experience for me. Sylvia's passing was completely unexpected and shocking. I think that most of just did not know what to say or do for quite a while. I do want to share a story about Sylvia that I thought speaks directly to Sylvia's kindness and thoughtfulness.
I had my daughter DC in March of 2005. I returned to work at EKU in June and was having a difficult time making the transition back into the work world after being on maternity leave for 3 months. I had not had such a hard time after having TPG so it was a shock to me that I was having such a hard time. I just could not seem to get back in the game. Just a few days after returning to work, Sylvia brought me a little plastic bag and it contained a cute little pair children's sneakers. She said she had seen them at a yard sale over the weekend and just knew DC had to have them. Sylvia and I did not work in the same department and did not really work that closely together. Sylvia's personal life was a full and rich one filled with many family members. The fact that she thought of me and my daughter was so touching. This simple little gift was exactly what I needed to help me through whatever moment I was having.
I went home immediately and put the little shoes on DC. Of course, they were WAY TOO BIG but I had to take a picture of them for Sylvia. This picture hung in Sylvia's cubicle for quite some time. Sometimes I would find myself walking out of my way past Sylvia's desk just so I could spot a picture of my daughter. 
Thank you Sylvia for your kind gift. You will be missed.
3 comments:
A touching story and yes, if there was one word to describe Sylvia, it would be thoughtful. She was out shopping one day, saw some Disney character wall decorations, thought of me and Ali, and brought them to me to work the next day--she thought about my daughter and bought her gifts not for a special occasion, not for any reasons except for the heck of it and to make Ali happy. You don't find a co-worker, let alone a person, like that just around the corner. Thanks for sharing your story.
What a wonderful story!
A
Very touching!
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