Roselyn T Sylla, age 83 of Elmwood, Wisconsin, died the evening of May 23, 2024, at the Pigeon Falls Health Care Center in Pigeon Falls, WI surrounded by her family.
Roselyn was born September 13, 1940, in the Township of Burnside, rural Arcadia. She was the daughter of Ernest and Polly (Kampa) Puchalla and grew up in the Independence community. As a young girl, Roselyn first learned to speak English while attending SS Peter and Paul Catholic school, having only known Polish up to that point. After graduating from Independence High School in 1958, Roselyn went to work at Trempealeau County Title and Abstract until she married William “Bill” Sylla, on Oct 14, 1961, at SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church-Independence. After marrying, Roselyn and Bill moved to Menona, Iowa, for Bill’s job, and while there started their family with the birth of their first child, Karen. In 1964 they moved back to Wisconsin, and purchased their forever home in rural Elmwood where they raised their seven children and continued to live for the next 60 years.
As a farmgirl and first-born sibling, Roselyn took on the responsibility of running a household at a very early age, raising her two youngest brothers so her Ma could help her Pa with the farm. These formative years helped develop Roselyn’s natural talents—nurturing, leading, teaching, planning, organizing, while honing her superior culinary, creative and life skills.
Together with Bill, Roselyn worked to provide opportunities for their seven children. Even as their family fanned out across the country and world, Roselyn and Bill continued to support them across the miles, often traveling extensively to attend a grandchild’s baptism, First Communion, or Confirmation. They traveled many miles to celebrate marriages, share birthdays, graduations, concerts, recitals, and sporting events. In addition to her devotion to family, Roselyn still found time to give back to the community. She was a faithful member of Elmwood’s Sacred Heart Catholic Church and served in many capacities: Altar and Rosary Society, Choir, catechism program, Ecumenical Choir, rosary leader, and Eucharistic ministry. Roselyn also enjoyed participating in many community events held by the Rock Elm’s Old Settler’s and Elmwood’s Enrichment Council.
Roselyn is survived by her husband, Bill; children, Karen Sylla of Red Wing, MN, Margaret Pfeffer of Sacramento, CA, Michelle (Bryan) Bowes of Severna Park, MD, Bill (Monica) Sylla of Portsmouth, NH, Susan (Mark) Pitman of Snoqualmie, WA, and Tom (Ricci) Sylla of Newark, CA; brothers Jim (LaVonne) Puchalla and Andy (Carol) Puchalla of Independence. She is further survived by 12 grandchildren, one great-grandchild, many nieces, nephews, and other relatives.
Roselyn is preceded in death by her parents, a daughter, Cheryl, granddaughter, Alexandra Pitman, and a brother, Dominic “Duke” Puchalla.
Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m. on June 11, 2024, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Elmwood. Burial will be in the church cemetery immediately following the funeral. A Celebration of Life will be held at Club 10 in Durand, WI following the services.
Visitation will be held from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Monday, June 10, at the Elmwood Sacred Heart Catholic Church with the Rosary prayed at 6:30. Visitation will also be held prior to mass from 10:00 to 11:00.
Rhiel Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Elmwood, is serving the family.
Condolences may be made online at rhielfuneralhome.com.
