Sylvia Elaine Seidel of Eau Claire passed from life to life on Tuesday, May 27, 2008, after a long full life and a brief final illness. She was 74 years old. \r\nSylvia was born on July 18, 1933 in Frazee, Minnesota, to Clarence and Frances (Bachmann) Mayfield. At a young age, because of her mother's illness, she was placed in foster care and at age nine she became the ward of George, Iva, Louisa, Sarah, and Hulda Brown. They raised her as their own.\r\nSylvia graduated from Pelican Rapids (MN) High School. She worked thereafter as a nursing assistant at the Good Samaritan Nursing Home in Pelican Rapids until her marriage to Arlen Seidel in 1955. Arlen and Sylvia created a loving, enduring 48-year marriage, raising four children together and living and working in Pelican Rapids, Albert Lea, Granite Falls, Frazee, and Wabasha, MN, until Arlen's death in 2003. \r\nSylvia worked in a variety of positions during her adult life, all of them involving service to others (e.g., child care provider, church secretary, hotel manager, personal care attendant). After her husband's death Sylvia moved to Eau Claire to be closer to family. She was active in women's ministries at Evangel Assembly of God and was the chair of the President's Council for the local Good News Jail and Prison Ministry. She will be missed.\r\nSylvia was preceded in death by her husband, Arlen, her parents and foster parents, and a sister, Doris. She is survived by four children, Cheryl (Steve) Brandt of Eau Claire, Alan (Kari) of Vesta, MN, Jeffrey (Lisa) of Blackhawk, SD, and Scott (Julie) of Farmington, MN; 11 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren (with two more on the way); a step-mother, Marge Mayfield of Detroit Lakes, MN; a brother, Leonard Mayfield of Walla Walla, WA, and two sisters, Carol (James) Norgren of Las Cruces, NM, and Mavis (Duane) Thorson of Spokane, WA. \r\nFuneral services will be held Friday, May 30, at 2 p.m. at Evangel Assembly of God, 3906 Kane Road, Eau Claire, with Rev. Paul Smith officiating. Family and friends may visit on Thursday, May 29, from 4 to 8 p.m. at Lenmark-Gomsrud-Linn Funeral Home, 814 First Avenue, Eau Claire, and one hour prior to the service Friday at church. Interment will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 31, at Ringsaker Cemetery in Pelican Rapids, MN. \r\nMemorials may be directed to the Good News Jail and Prison Ministry, 728 2nd Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54703.

Service Information