Edmund Berube Sylvia Was Vineyard Pharmacist

Edmund Berube Sylvia, 56, of Topsham, Me., died August 24 at Mid Coast Medical Center in Brunswick, Me., following a three-year year battle with renal cell carcinoma.

He was born in Oak Bluffs, son of Albert K Sylvia Jr. and Yvonne Berube Sylvia. He was graduated from the Martha's Vineyard Regional High School in 1967 and Massachusetts College of Pharmacy in 1972. He received his master's of business administration from New Hampshire College in 2000.

Mr. Sylvia taught a pharmacy in the health occupations course at Kennebec Valley Vocational Technical Institute for many years in Waterville, Me., and and then in Fairfield.

He was employed at Colonial Drug Store in Edgartown throughout high school and college and worked at Children's Hospital for two years following college graduation. He moved to Maine where he worked for 13 years at Redington Fairview as staff pharmacist and as director. In 1988 he moved to Mid Coast Hospital, Brunswick, where he served as staff pharmacist and director until failing health forced his retirement.

He was active in the Topsham recreational soccer league, coaching for 11 years and serving on the board of directors. He was co-founder and coach for three years of Topsham Travel Soccer, which was initially named the MidCoast Strikers, presently named Merrymeeting Soccer.

He took vacations to volunteer at the Boy Scout Camp at Eaton Farm, in Wiscasset for several summers and volunteered at Camp Sunshine, a camp for families with chronically or terminally ill children.

He was active in diabetes education. He enjoyed riding his bike and Lance Armstrong became his inspiration over the last three years, as he struggled with cancer.

He was a member of the Oakland Lions Club and a charter member of Bath Lions Club. He had a passion for acting out and reading about the Civil War and was a member of the Third Maine Civil War Re-enactors.

He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Ellen Wheeler Sylvia of Topsham; his mother of Edgartown; two sons, Andrew and Garrett Sylvia both of Topsham; two sisters, Hanola Burnham and her husband, Marvin of Wilton, Me., and Elizabeth Mello and her husband Tom of Vineyard Haven; two brothers, Kevin Sylvia of Falmouth and Brian Sylvia and his partner Joanne Coventry of Edgartown; a sister-in-law, Cindy Sylvia of Oak Bluffs and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his father.

Friends may visit from 6 to 8 p.m. tonight at the Brackett Funeral Home, 29 Federal street in Brunswick. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Saturday at St. Charles Borromeo Church on McKeen street in Brunswick.

Memorial contributions may be made to Camp Sunshine, 35 Acadia Road, Casco, ME 04015.