Sylvia F. Crocker, 86, of Laramie, passed away peacefully on Sunday, November 24, 2019 at Ivinson Memorial Hospital. She was born on April 10, 1933 in Live Oak, Florida to Tom and Lydia (Compton) Fleming. Sylvia grew up in York, South Carolina, riding horses, swimming and playing piano. She went on to get her advanced education in the Midwest, earning a number of degrees: an Associate of Arts in Interior Design at Stephen’s College in Columbia, Missouri; a B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Missouri; an M.A. in Comparative Religion from Northwestern University; and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Missouri. Sylvia taught philosophy at the university level in the 1970s, including the University of Wyoming. In the early 1980s, she changed career focus and received her M.S. in Counseling Education from the University of Wyoming in 1985. She also received extensive training in Gestalt Therapy under the guidance of Miriam and Erving Polster. She was in private practice for more than 30 years in Laramie, Cheyenne and Rawlins, with a focus on couples and individual counseling and working with children.
Sylvia was an active member of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Cathedral. She was an avid reader and enjoyed listening to classical music, traveling around the world, improving her golf swing, stitching needlepoint and watching classic and current movies. She was known for her generosity; and as a counselor, Sylvia was passionate about helping her clients in their own lives and in their relationships with others.
She is preceded in death by her parents; her brother, Thomas Fleming; and her sister, Cathy Montgomery.
She had two children with Thomas Crocker of Laramie. She is survived by her daughter, Sarah Garcia Castro (Jairo) and grandchild Thomas Manuel Garcia of Colorado Springs, Colorado; and her daughter Trena Larson (Ethan) of Montreal, Canada.
Memorial services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, November 30, 2019 at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Cathedral, officiated by Reverend Brian Gross. Inurnment will immediately follow at St. Matthew’s Columbarium, and reception will be held in the undercroft at the cathedral.
Memorial donations can be made in Sylvia Crocker’s name at wyomingpbs.org/donate.
My sincere condolences to Sylvia‘s family. I had a special bond with her as a friend and colleague, and was privileged to know her. She touched the lives of so many. Now she has gone on to the next stage of her journey. She will be missed.
Thinking of you.
We had the opportunity to meet Sylvia 5 years ago and get to know her professionally and personally. She was a beautiful and outstanding woman. We are so blessed to have known her for the short time we did. We are so sorry for the loss of such of a phenomenal human. ?
Sylvia was one of the first members of St. Matthew's to welcome our family when we started attending. We had the wonderful opportunity to get to know her through dinners, conversations and her wonderful story-telling. She certainly had a life full of many wondrous, tragic and curious experiences. Never a dull moment to be in Sylvia's presence and to hear of her many great accomplishments. We feel blessed to have had the opportunity to know her in this lifetime and will always remember her with fond memories and amazement. Heaven just became a bit more colorful with her presence. God bless you Sylvia and your family. You will be missed.
Dear family and friends of Sylvia Crocker, During the decades that Sylvia and I were friends through Gestalt therapy, our meeting of souls was important to me. She was a dedicated friend and colleague upon whom I depended for significant conversations and caring interchange. Though we lived more than 2,000 miles apart, regular phone conversations helped us feel importantly close. Please accept my heartfelt condolences upon her passing. RIP Sylvia. Susan Gregory, NYC
Sylvia. She referred to herself as a "pilgrim" on a journey in gestalt therapy and philosophy. I met her on her journey. Our paths crossed. We journey together. Our paths wove back and forth. She changed the landscape of every world she entered. It was her nature. She was my sparring partner who taught me how to sharpen my thinking. She was tenacious. And kind. The New York Institute for Gestalt Therapy is enriched for having had her as a full member. I am enriched by who she always will be for me.
I extend my deepest sympathies to you and your family. May the soul of your mother Sylvia rest in peace. Warmly, Nives
Sylvia was a long time colleague at the New York Institute for Gestalt Therapy. Because of her understanding of both Philosophy and Gestalt Therapy she held a special unique place that was evident in her teaching, writing and debating. Last year she gave a wonderful workshop in NY even though she was coping with health problems. She will be sorely missed as a towering presence in the community.