1933-2018-Eternity
Sylvia’s life-pilgrimage ended on March 13, 2018 – just 15 months after her greatest admirer and husband went to be with the Lord. Sylvia has joined Jim and the heavenly host in worship of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Mercifully, Sylvia’s battle with cancer was short.
Her final weeks were blessed by the numerous visits from friends and church members as well as her own family. Even though Sylvia was a Texan by birth she was a Nevadan at heart. When job opportunities opened for her dad on the Southern Pacific Railroad; the Bale clan set up new roots in Imlay, Nevada.
Many times she remarked about the best years of her life being those years following her ninth birthday. Married by the age of fifteen she moved to Carlin where her first three children were born. By the age of 25 Sylvia had remarried, moved to Lovelock and had added two more sons and another daughter to her family.
During the third decade of her life a Home-missionary introduced Sylvia to the One who loved her more than words could describe. She readily accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Comforter.
Life brought her many more moves, triumphs and tragedies but her ties to Pershing County never diminished. By the late 1980’s she was able to return to Imlay, Nevada with her beloved James Callaway to join her siblings (Lila and Bob Martin and Ophelia Theobald) in the recapturing of some sweet memories. It was beyond her wildest dream that in the following decade she would be named Mrs. Pershing County. At that point she set aside her carpentry tools to recover time from her labor on fledgling Imlay Baptist Church while competing for the crown. She managed to work its roofing and sheet rocking in between pageant duties and to still continue her church ministries.
In the final two decades of life Sylvia homesteaded back in Elko County. Joined then by three generations of offspring – she brought new life from yet another parcel of barren desert. She also introduced new life to many desperate souls in her jail and prison ministries. Sylvia was further blessed with a new Church-family in the Shiloh Baptist Church of Elko, Nevada.
Preceding Sylvia in death are her husband, James Callaway, her infant daughter, Dawna Kim Graham, her son Casey Jim (Graham) Murray, her siblings, Eula Bale, Herman Bale, Ruth Johnson, W.T. Bale, Jesse Bale, Polly Buffington, Lila and Bob Martin, and Ophelia Theobald.
Sylvia is survived by her 14 grandchildren and 24 great grandchildren. Many brothers and sisters in Christ as well as friends throughout the Imlay and the Elko communities consider Sylvia to have been their adopted grandma. It was you who afforded her great value. She loved you all dearly. Thank you so very much for loving her back.
A memorial will be held in her honor in the Imlay Baptist Church on June 15, 2018 at 1:00. Gary Kuskie will be officiating.
