Sylvia Robinson Carter

It is with tender hearts and joyful memories, that we mourn the passing of Sylvia Robinson Carter, surrounded by family, on Friday, July 1, 2022.

Sylvia was the second of eleven children born to George Robinson and Florence Bentley on January 22, 1941 in Ashton-under-Lyne, England.  Her early years were challenging in a large family with meager resources. As a daughter, duties in the home required her to assume many family responsibilities and to forgo cherished educational opportunities.  However, through it all, she learned skills that would bless her life forever. She determined early on to be cheerful, positive, and truly a “tough-minded optimist.” Kindness and optimism were key traits she used in a lifetime of service.

As a young woman Sylvia was introduced to the restored gospel and after many personal challenges, she was the first in her family to be baptized in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, on August 11, 1956.  Later, as a teenage girl, Sylvia carried each of her baby brothers to the small Wythenshawe Branch, on separate occasions, to be blessed.  Those, seemingly small acts of faith, led her family to accept the missionary discussions, which, in turn, resulted in the entire family coming into the Church.  To this day, the Robinson’s have been an enduring strength in the Manchester area. Sylvia’s testimony of the restored church was firm, strong, and a motivating force throughout her life.

At the age of 18, Sylvia was called to serve a full-time mission in the British Mission under the leadership of T. Bowring Woodbury. Following her mission, she was encouraged to come to America.  Here, in 1962, she was called a second time to serve as a missionary, this time in the West Central States Mission under the leadership of Grant G. Woolley. During her service there she met her future husband, Stephen. Following a brief courtship, then Elder Thomas S. Monson sealed them for time and eternity in the Salt Lake Temple.

Although an American citizen, Sylvia retained in her heart a love for her native England.  She, and her family, delighted in many visits to her English homeland visiting Goostrey and the Manchester area where her family had lived for generations.

Sylvia was a righteous, clever, and wonderfully faithful, visionary leader who combined personal enthusiasm, kindness, courage, and determination, with a love for others, into a lifetime of service.  Her zest for learning and reading helped her overcome a meager formal education.  Her schooling continued through faith and service. Over the years, she was called upon, multiple times, to lead the young women of her ward and later as a Stake Young Women President. In addition to service with the young women, Sylvia served as a ward Relief Society President.  Later, she served seven years as a Church Service Missionary in Brigham Young’s Beehive House.  Later yet, with her husband, she enjoyed serving as a full-time missionary in Florida. Sylvia’s faithful service, freely given, blessed the lives of many. Her mortal life was full but far too short for those who loved her.

Above all else, Sylvia cherished her family, her children, her grandchildren and her brothers and sisters.  She valued education and stayed involved in learning.  Although her wittiness may have dimmed with the advance of dementia in her later years, her cheerfulness and optimistic approach to life will long be remembered. She knew the importance of working through life’s many challenges and the importance of “sticking to a task till it sticks to you”.

Sylvia is survived by her husband Stephen, their posterity of four wonderful children; Kimberly (Kevin) Goaslind, Matthew (Melissa) Carter, Kelli (Matthew) Stark, and John (Emily) Carter along with thirteen beautiful grandchildren and one great grandson; Elizabeth, Emily (Allie) Fox; Meganne (Tory) Page; Rebekah, Nicholas, and Elizabeth Carter; Sarah, Sadie, and Joseph Stark; and Quinton (Kara) Carter, C.J., Jackson and Owen Carter; and one great-grandson, Owen James Page.  In addition, she is survived by five sisters; Anne (Ian) Burgess, Judith (Nigel) Ozier, Susan (Peter) Roper, Barbara (Graham) Baynes, Yvonne, and three brothers; George (Judy) Robinson, Peter (Wendy) Robinson and Paul; and many nieces, nephews and friends.  She was preceded in death by her parents, mother-in-law (Donna Wilde), a brother Geoffrey, a sister Sheila and a sister-in-law, Carolyn Robinson.

Sylvia’s family would like to give special thanks to Steve G., Trixie, and Rita C. of icare, and to Brandy, Briana, and Trish at Capitol Hills Senior Living Center for their loving care and support.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 9, 2022, in the Latter-day Saint meetinghouse, 2260 South 200 West, Bountiful, Utah.  Friends may visit the family on Friday, July 8, 2022, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Russon Mortuary, 295 North Main, Bountiful, Utah or Saturday morning from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the meetinghouse prior to services.  Interment at Bountiful City Cemetery.

Services will be streamed live on the Russon Brothers Mortuary Facebook page and on this obituary page.  The live stream will begin about 10-15 minutes prior to the service and will be posted below.