Sylvia Jean (Nelson) Vonce

Sylvia Jean was born on September 25, 1941, in Bartow, Florida to the late Louise S. Green. A year later Louise married David Nelson and he adopted Sylvia and gave her his last name. She was the oldest of six children. When she was around 9 years old she moved to Jersey City, New Jersey and she attended Jersey City Public Schools.

In 1964, Sylvia married the late George Dantzler Jr. and out of that union came two girls, Tamara and Carla.

Sylvia worked in New York in her early years. Later on she was employed by the Jersey City Fire Department, the post office, and St Francis Hospital until her retirement in 2023 from Christ Hospital.

Sylvia always loved the Lord and tried to live her life according to His word. She was baptized into the Church of Christ in Newark, NJ in 1980 under the late evangelist Eugene Lawton. She was a faithful member of the church for forty-four years.

Sylvia was an avid basketball and football fan, loved shopping, attending church, eating good food, and spending time with friends. She believed in spending time with her daughters. They were always together even as they got older. The three of them were very close. She also loved spending quality time with her grandchildren. She was one of a kind and an excellent grandmother.

In 1984, Sylvia was blessed to be married a second time to the late Berry Vonce, Sr. He had three children of his own, the late Lillian Vonce, Berry Vonce Jr. and Sharon Muhammed (Vonce). Their marital bliss was cut short by his untimely death after only four years.

Sylvia Jean Vonce departed from this life on March 3, 2024 at her home surrounded by her loved ones. She is predeceased by her mother Louise S. Dyer, her father David Nelson, her husband Berry Vonce Sr., her brother Damon Nelson, her sister Tina Dyer, her nephew Deron Dupree, her nephew Jimmy Dantzler, her niece Tori Salley, her stepdaughter Lillian Vonce, and grandson Ricardo Vonce.

She leaves to cherish her memory two daughters, Tamara Sokeye (Ayoifemi) of Jersey City, NJ, and Carla Johnson (Vincent) of Greensboro, NC; two stepchildren, Berry Vonce Jr., of Newark, NJ and Sharon Muhammed of Highland Park, NJ; nine grandchildren: Barri Vonce, Tanisha Cooley, Shavon Muhammed, Dominique Dantzler, Bryani Wheaton, Donnelly McCants, Jr., Assata Muhammed, Justis McCants, and Maya Johnson; five great-grands and two great-great-grands; three sisters: Annie Arenas (Mariano) of Columbus, GA, Angelina Miller of Pearland, TX, and Charlotte Smalls (Victor) of Columbia, SC; one aunt, Janice Dunn; one brother-in-law, Donald Dantzler; two sisters-in-law, Cathy Dantzler and Loretta Dantzler Wright; eleven nieces and thirteen nephews; two adopted sisters, Josephine Samuels and Anne Moses; and a host of cousins, her church family, and friends.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Sylvia Jean (Nelson) Vonce, please visit our floral store.