Synda Lou Douglas

SYNDA LOU DOUGLAS Synda Lou Douglas age 60, passed away peacefully on June 17, 2008 at the home she loved located on the first fairway of Silo Ridge Golf Club in Bolivar with her husband, sons, sister, brother and mother at her side. Synda was born on December 29, 1947, the older by five minutes to her identical twin, Lynda Sue, to J.M Kelsey and Erma L. Kelsey, in Mt. Vernon, Missouri. When Synda and Lynda were toddlers, J.M and Erma moved to Bolivar where Synda continued to live for the remainder of her life except while attending college and when she accompanied her husband while he served in the United States Army. Synda attended North Ward Elementary School where, at one time, she and Lynda were one of three sets of twins in the same grade. She graduated from Bolivar High School in 1965, following which she attended Southwest Missouri State University for two years before transferring to the University of Missouri at Columbia where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education in 1969. She later returned to SMSU and obtained her Masters in Guidance and Counseling. Synda and her husband Kerry D. Douglas first became acquainted in 1959 when she was 12 and he was 13, and soon hereafter commenced a 9 year courtship that resulted in their marriage on January 30, 1968. Synda and Kerry were blessed with two sons, Thomas H. Douglas and K. Patrick Douglas. Tom and Pat were Syndas pride and joy, and she often expressed great comfort after it became obvious that she would leave her family and friends prematurely that she could leave with the certain knowledge that the boys had each grown to be highly successful young men in life, in their careers and as fathers to their own children. Tom is a shareholder and CEO of the technology company of JMARk Business Solutions, Inc. of Springfield, and Pat is the fourth generation Douglas to be a partner/shareholder with the law firm of Douglas, Haun & Heidemann, P.C. in Bolivar. Synda was a highly skilled teacher with certifications in learning, behavior, physical and emotional disorders, and later as a school counselor. She taught Elementary School at St. Bernadines Elementary Schools in Mexico, Missouri and Bardstown, Kentucky. After her sons were school age, she resumed her teaching career as a Special Education teacher at Halfway, Missouri for three years, following which she moved to the Educational Cooperative of the Ozarks as a Classroom Resource Teacher and later as the Assistant Director of the Cooperative. She completed her professional career as Counselor at Bolivar Middle School where she touched many young lives. She retired from that position in at the end of the 1994-1995 school year after she was diagnosed and treated for breast cancer. Synda was baptized at a young age in the First Christian Church in Bolivar. After returning to Bolivar from Ft. Knox, Synda joined the First Baptist Church in Bolivar where she and Kerry raised their sons. She later rejoined and Kerry joined the First Christian Church in Bolivar where Synda remained a member until her death. The family wishes to publicly thank Pastor Jerry Book of the First Christian Church for his almost daily trips to the home to see and comfort Synda during her final weeks of life. Synda was originally diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer in 1993 with a 2-5 year prognosis. However, she was determined to live to see her sons settled in their chosen careers and the birth of her grandchildren. With a strength that awed and amazed all who knew her and many who knew only of her, she accomplished both of her goals. Synda was a remarkable wife, mother, grandmother, sister, daughter, aunt, teacher, counselor and cancer survivor, and was a friend and inspiration to all who were privileged to know her. In 2003, Syndas twin sister, Lynda Collins, took early retirement as a nurse practitioner from the student health clinic of the University of California at Davis and returned to Bolivar to be with her sister during her final years of life. Lynda helped Synda live out her final years with a quality that was only possible as a result of the special bond that existed between them as identical twins enhanced by Lyndas great skills as a nurse practitioner. During the periods of Syndas remissions, she and Kerry traveled regularly both alone and with family and friends, including trips to England to see their AFS son, Mark Collins, and later to attend his marriage. Synda loved to golf and was an active member of the Silo Ridge Ladies Golf Association as long as her health permitted. Synda was an avid quilter and she leaves a legacy of dozens of quilts that she lovingly created, including a specially created quilt for each of her six grandchildren. Synda also loved to horseback ride, which she and Lynda did regularly both alone and with a host of friends. The family gratefully acknowledges the skilled care provided by Dr. Gary Hoos of St. Johns Oncology and Hematology Center in Springfield, and Dr. Leonid Shunyakov of the Central Cancer Care Center at Citizens Memorial Healthcare in Bolivar, and the other surgeons, physicians and other health care providers who provided Synda with skilled medical care to enable her to live, thrive and enjoy a high quality of life for much of the 15 year course of her disease. Synda is survived by her husband of 40 years, Kerry D. Douglas of the home, her two sons and their wives, Thomas H. Douglas and Michele Douglas of Springfield, and K. Patrick Douglas and Gelin Douglas of Bolivar, six grandchildren, Kaitlyn Leister of Temple, Texas, Alexandra (Ali) Gordon of Chesapeake, Virginia, Tyler H. Douglas and William (Will) K. Douglas, both of Springfield (children of Tom), and Josie G. Douglas and Cy P. Douglas, both of Bolivar (children of Pat). She is also survived by her mother, Erma L. Kelsey of Springfield, her twin sister and alter ego Lynda S. Collins of Bolivar, her brother, Jim M. Kelsey of Albany, California, her step-mother Wanda Kelsey of Bolivar, her AFS son Mark Collins of Oxford, England, her sister-in-law and brother-in law Rose and Max Roweton of Bolivar, her brother-in-law Elvin Douglas, Jr. of Harrisonville, Missouri, 9 nephews and nieces and 21 great-nephews and nieces. She also leaves a huge number of friends and professional colleagues to celebrate her remarkable life and to mourn her passing. She was predeceased by her father, J.M Kelsey and by all of her grandparents. A celebration and remembrance of her life will be held the First Christian Church in Bolivar on Friday, June 20, 2008 at 10:00 AM with the Rev. Jerry Book presiding. Musical Soloist will be David Hacker with Doug Roller as the guitarist. Musical selections will be "What A Wonderful World", "My Heart Will Go On" and "The Lord's Prayer". The Violinist will be Adam Lynch performing the prelude and postlude. Burial at Greenwood Cemetery in Bolivar. Casketbearers will be R. D. Vestal, Don Woods Jr., Jim Davolt, Kenny Legan, Mike Stephens, Mike Jones and Dan Bishop. The casket will be closed at all times. The family cordially invites friends, colleagues and acquaintances to celebrate the life of a remarkable lady during visitation at Butler Funeral Home on Thursday June 19 from 6:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. In lieu of flowers and to honor her extraordinary skills as a special education teacher and school counselor, the family respectfully suggests contributions to the Bolivar Educational Advancement Foundation for the Synda L. Douglas Memorial Scholarship Fund for teachers pursuing certification in special education or a degree in guidance and counseling, or to the CMH Cancer Center. Contributions may be sent to the Bolivar Educational Advancement Foundation, P.O. Box 117, Bolivar, Missouri, the CMH Cancer Center, 1500 N Oakland, Bolivar, Missouri or to the funeral home. Friends may sign the guest book or send private condolences at www.butlerfuneralhome.com PDF Printable Version

Synda Lou Douglas

December 29, 1947 - June 17, 2008