Sylvia Bown
With great sadness we announce that Sylvia Bown, our beloved mum, grandmum, great grandmum, auntie and friend, 89, passed away suddenly from injuries sustained in a fall on November 28 th, 2025.
Sylvia was born July 29 th , 1936, in Westminster Hospital, London, England, to Alice Chatfield.
She grew up in London, England, experiencing the blitz first-hand, playing on the bombsites, sleeping in bomb shelters, enduring the blackouts and coming very close to being hit by a V1 ‘Doodlebug’ which landed on the next block and caused her to drop the pint of milk she was carrying home from the corner store. When she shared this story with anyone, she would say she was more upset about the broken milk bottle than the loud explosion.
Along with all the hardships of the war including rationing and scarcity of certain foods and necessities, her mother was frequently absent from her life. She was often cared for by her neighbors and her maternal grandpa, who called her his sunshine, and whom she loved very much. These early experiences probably helped develop her toughness and grit.
When she left school, she learned to cane chairs and while working this job she met and married John Bown, who worked for Bishop’s Move, located on the same street as her workplace. John had served in the British Army in the 14 th /20 th King’s Hussars regiment, driving Centurion tanks in Tripoli, Libya.
Their only child, Susan, was born in 1957.
John stayed with his job at Bishop’s Move and Sylvia gave up caning chairs and began cleaning houses. When they first got married, they lived in Paddington, then moved to Victoria, both districts in London, England. Later they moved to Teddington on the outskirts of London. It was here that she began working for the Newman family who became her lifelong friends.
Susan grew up and in 1976 married Thomas Fisher and moved to the USA.
When John retired, they moved to West Malling, Kent, where they lived happily tending their garden and their animals (cows, dogs, cats, horses). They did not visit Susan and her family in the USA as John was not comfortable flying. This is something she always regretted.
Sadly, John became ill with COPD and died from associated lung conditions in 2016. After John died Sylvia started spending more time with friends and made many new ones that helped her fill the void caused by John’s death.
In 2017 she visited Susan and her family in the USA meeting some of her great grandchildren for the first time. She made several more visits before deciding that she would like to move to the USA permanently. After preparing mountains of paperwork, paying a large fee, getting several immunizations and waiting 13 months she was granted permanent residency and she moved to Sandy, Utah to live with Susan and Thomas. She enjoyed her new life being around her family and participating in family activities such as picnics, BBQ’s, train rides, plays, recitals, shopping, seasonal fairs and farmers’ markets.
To keep her entertained she was introduced to the Dimple Dell Rec Center and the Sandy Senior Center. She said that at first, she thought the senior center would just be a bunch of boring old people, but she quickly changed her mind and said the people there and at the Dimple Dell Rec Zumba class were some of the nicest people she had ever met. In fact, wherever she went and whatever did, whether walking in the neighborhood or shopping, she had a facility to meet new people and make new friends.
Sylvia is survived by her daughter, Susan (Thomas), grandchildren Tristan (Angela), Sarah (Bill), Jolyon (Mandy), Adam (Alysha), and grandchildren Preston (Keida), Wyatt (Saige), Aiden (Danica), Maddiline, Ellie, Jonny, Thea and Willa. Sylvia is preceded in death by her mother, Alice, husband, John, and great grandson Emil.
Sylvia was a feisty, energetic and loving person who enjoyed life, loved her friends and family and saw every day as a new adventure. As one of her grandchildren said, she would ‘take an everyday occurrence and turn it into a party’.
In keeping with her wishes Sylvia will be cremated. There will be a Memorial Service for her on December 28 th at Lone Peak Park (interior pavilion) 5:30 – 6:30 and a celebration of life after from 7:00 – 9:00. All that knew her are invited.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the Humane Society or other animal charities are suggested.