Sylvia Ruth Wardius of Thiensville, WI passed away on August 25, 2021 two weeks short of turning 92. Sylvia suffered from Alzheimer's and was being cared for at Family Tree-Harrison House since October 2020. She also received care from Horizon Hospice during her last week. Sylvia was born to Henry and Emma Kleist in Milwaukee on September 8, 1929. She graduated from Washington High School in Milwaukee in 1947 then went on to earn her degree in Teaching – Lower Elementary, from WI State Teachers College in 1954. On April 4, 1953, she was united in marriage to Gordon Wardius. They were married for 68 years at the time of her death. Sylvia enjoyed her flower garden, birds, walking, hiking in the woods, sewing, teaching children, and art projects. Sylvia was passionate about teaching and caring for children. In her active years of life she served many families through a daycare managed out of her home, numerous programs where she volunteered such as Girl Scouts, Sunday school, and Daily Vacation Bible school, and later as a special education teacher in the Grafton school district. She was very involved with serving others through leadership roles at the Ozaukee Baptist Church in Cedarburg in years gone by. Sylvia was a caring compassionate wife and mother, and her children remember her as being loyal, loving and dedicated to serving the Lord she loved. Sylvia was preceded in death by her parents Henry & Emma. She is survived by her husband Gordon, her daughters Janine Wardius (Aage) and Karen (Pete) Geiss, her sons Don (Barbara) and Glenn (Claudia). She is further survived by her grandchildren Megan (Tyler), Claire (Lucien), Natalie, Robbie, Molly, Joey, and Katie Wardius, and Zaldy and Ritz Geiss; brother Charles (Charlene) Kleist; sister Connie Roth; niece Kimberly (Michael) Hausman; nephew Scott Kleist, cousins and beloved friends. Her first great grandchild is due to be born in September, very near to Sylvia's own birthday. A Memorial Service for Sylvia will be held at 1:00PM on Thursday, September 16, 2021 at Crossroads Presbyterian Church, 6031 W. Chapel Hill Road, Mequon, WI 53097. The family will greet visitors at the church after the service from 2:00-3:00PM. Sylvia will be laid to rest in a private inurnment just prior to the service at the Memory Garden at Crossroads Church. The family would like to thank the staff and caregivers at Family Tree-Harrison House and Horizon Hospice for their loving and thoughtful care. Memorials in Sylvia's honor may be made to Crossroads Church.