Sylvia Fay Butler Camper peacefully passed away at Havenwood on Thursday, July 10, 2025, following a long battle with dementia. 

Born on May 4,1938, in Pikeville, Ky., she was the 10th of 11 children of George Elliot and Effie Pearl Pyles Butler. 

The Butler family moved to Virginia in 1944 when Sylvia was 6. They settled in Steeles Tavern.  She was the only child to remain in RockbridgeCounty. 

Sylvia was married to Sandy E. Camper Jr. for 68 years. They met while attending FairfieldHigh School.

Sylvia worked for many businesses throughout the years, ending up at Modine Manufacturing.  She worked there until her retirement at 55. 

Since Sandy was a truck driver and gone much of the time, Sylvia had to take care of things at home.  She took care of their daughter Bonnie, making sure she got to all her activities after school.  She was an officer in the Mountain View PTA and served as a room mother.  She was very active in church, serving as deacon, teacher, committee member and anything else she saw that needed to be done. At Halloween, she would be invited to various places to tell frightening stories.  She would dress up as a scary witch and entertain children with her spooky tales.

Whatever the job, Sylvia would jump in and give it a try.  She enjoyed painting, crafting Christmas ornaments, and making candy.  On the weekends, you would find her in Steeles Tavern taking her mother to the grocery store or shopping in Staunton.  Her mother didn’t drive and needed medication once a week so she rarely ever missed going. 

After retirement, she volunteered at the Paxton House and at Mountain View.  During the holidays she would visit her sisters and help them make their Christmas candy.  She loved children, so she would often keep her grandchildren, great nieces, and friend’s children.  When her brother’s job took him out of the country, she and Sandy volunteered to keep his 2-year-old son while he was away.  Not only did she care for her own mother, she also cared for her father-in-law Elmo and Sandy’s aunt Katie. 

Sandy and Sylvia enjoyed traveling.  Sandy loved NASCAR and they would travel to Charlotte twice a year to go the races.  Although Sandy traveled to many places with his job, he and Sylvia visited several states. Sylvia’s favorite place was the beach, especially Myrtle Beach. They would load up the camper with kids and dogs and head for the beach.  She always said the ocean waves calmed her inner soul. 

Sylvia was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Sandy; three brothers, Edward Bledsoe, Charles Allen Butler and George Franklin Butler; four sisters,  Louise Kaminski, Mary Ellen Salutsky, Martha Bryan and Harriet Vinson; her in-laws Elmo and Frances Burks Camper; Butler nieces and a nephew; and numerous Camper relatives. 

Left to cherish her memory is her daughter Bonnie Fix and husband DeWitt; grandchildren Wittnie Mason and husband Adam, and Matthew Fix; her five darlings, Peyton DeWitt, Isabelle Reese and Wesley Thomas Fix and Atleigh Paxton and Laken James Mason.  Also surviving are sisters Georgia Bowers and Loretta Bradley, and a brother, John Butler; brother-in-law Dennis Camper, nephew and family Frank and wife Shelley Butler and their children Aidan and Lyndon; numerous other nieces and nephews, Camper cousins and special friends. 

The family is so grateful for the care provided by Connections Plus Healthcare & Hospice, the staff at Havenwood and caregivers from Home Instead.

To honor them, a memorial service will be held for both Sandy, who passed away in January, and Sylvia on Saturday, July 26, at the Buena Vista BaptistChurch, their home church, at 2 p.m. with visitation beginning at 1 p.m. Burial will be private.

Donations may be made in Sylvia’s memory to Connections Plus Healthcare & Hospice, Buena Vista Baptist Church or the Rockbridge SPCA.

Arrangements are being handled by Harrison Funeral Home and Crematory.