James Daniel
Sylvester
VISITATION – SERVICES – MEMORIALS
Saturday, June 1, 2024
at
All Saints’ Cathedral
818 E. Juneau Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Visitation: 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Service: 11:00 AM
Live streaming of the service will be available through the cathedral website at:
https://ascathedral.org/
Memorials: the Hunger Book Sale, c/o All Saints’ Cathedral
James Daniel Sylvester
James Daniel Sylvester, age 73, of Milwaukee, passed away on May 3, 2024, after a lengthy illness.
Dan is survived by his three brothers: Kenneth (Patricia) Sylvester, Normal, IL; Michael (Debbie) Sylvester, Diana, TX; Chuck Sylvester, Normal, IL; and a sister, Carol (Joe) Spence, Boone, IA. He is also survived by a very special Aunt, Jackie McBurney, many nieces and nephews, and dear friends Collin Johnson and Carol Ketter.
He was preceded in death by his parents Victor and Patricia Sylvester and a sister, Elizabeth (Beth) Sylvester.
Dan was the oldest of six children born January 11, 1951, to Vic (Spud) Sylvester and Particia (Marcella) McBurney. He grew up just blocks from his grandparents George and Edith McBurney, various cousins, aunts, uncles, and right next door to grandparents Vic and Lucy Sylvester.
He attended Unit 5 schools in Normal, IL graduating from Normal Community High School in 1969. While a student at NCHS, he was very active in AFS, National Honor Society, Pan Lingua, Mu Alpha Theta, and Quill & Scroll. His love of travel began when he participated in the People to People Student Ambassador trip to Europe his junior year.
Dan continued his education at Illinois State University in Normal, IL. His studies included French, archeology, and elementary education. He graduated with a BA in 1973 and a Bachelor of Science in Education in 1980, both from Illinois State University. He earned a Master of Education degree in 1994 from Lesley College in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Devoted to his Episcopalian faith, Dan embraced the life of a lay brother for three years in the Society of St. John Evangelist in Port Bruce Bridge, Ontario, Canada.
Realizing teaching was his calling, his teaching career took him cross country; from Sparta, IL, to Chicago, IL, then LaGrange, IL, down to Champaign, IL, to the west coast and Long Beach, CA, and finally to Milwaukee, Wisconsin where he settled in and taught for 19 years in the Milwaukee Public school system.
He loved to travel with Scotland, England, Europe, and especially France being among his favorite places to visit. He enjoyed taking friends and family along on his many adventures.
His motto was…Seen it, Done it, Ate it!
Most of all, Dan was a very devoted uncle to all his nieces and nephews. You never knew what surprise awaited when Uncle Dan came to town.
Visitation will be held Saturday, June 1, 2024, at 10:00am until the time of Mass at 11:00am at All Saints’ Cathedral, 818 E. Juneau Avenue, Milwaukee, WI, 53202 with Father Kevin Carroll officiating. Live streaming of the service will be available through the cathedral website at: https://ascathedral.org/
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Hunger Book Sale, c/o All Saints’ Cathedral.
To know Danny, was to love Danny. So thankful I knew him even if we hadn’t visited much in several years. But, I loved getting a phone call from him out of the blue a while back – what a treat! It’s always been good to know we’re in the same family tree. Will miss knowing that he’s not among us but thankful we’ll see him again. Love and many hugs to his many friends and family.Xoxox
Dan:
Many thanks for the joyous memories as neighbors. Dan was a friend. He was kind, compassionate, and very supportive. He was a delight to talk to and an encyclopedic resource. He was extremely comedic.
I will most certainly miss him!
Ultimately, I am consoled by the fact that “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord…”
He will be watching over us at 4121 from Heaven from now on.
My prayers and condolences to all his friends and family.
D. Gillespie
Loved to talk with Dan when we owned Birdies across the street from him