Sylvia Frances Waid

Sylvia Frances Waid passed away at home in the early morning hours of July 8, 2026. She had courageously battled soft tissue sarcoma beginning in 2021. This very rare form of cancer accounts for only 1% of all cancer diagnoses in America. She was 87. Here are the funeral arrangements: Date: Monday, July 13th, 2026 Location: The Church at Pleasant Hill Address: 5537 Washington Valley Road, Springville, AL 35146 NOTE: Turn onto Pleasant Hill Road off Washington Valley Road. The church is the only building on Pleasant Hill Church Road. Time schedule: Family visitation: 10:30 Public Visitation: 11:00 - 1:00 Service: 1:00 Graveside Service: Immediately following sanctuary service NOTE: Meal to be provided in the lower level of The Church at Pleasant Hill following the graveside service. Mrs. Waid was preceded in death by her husband, J.W. Waid; her parents, Milford & Margaret Hodges Burttram; her brother, Teddy Burttram; and by grandson Dustin Newsome. She is survived by her four children - Karen Waid Fine (Eddie); Jay Waid; Kelly Waid Golsan (Bubba); and Dan. She is also survived her brother Garry Burttram (Merle). Surviving grandchildren are Clint Graben; Judd Golsan (Angela); Gavin Golsan (Katt); Granger Waid (Jessica); Joseph Waid; and Lanie Whitt (Seth).She is survived by 13 great grandchildren, whom she loved to entertain when they asked her to play the piano. Sylvia was a piano prodigy, playing only by ear, eventually giving up a sure major music career to marry & start a family. She married J.W. in 1955 & only at his death in 2019 did they depart. She played locally in the Birmingham metro area & was offered a full time job in New Orleans in her young married life. The company offered to arrange weekly flights from her Trussville home to The Big Easy. She turned it down. “New Orleans was no place for me,” she once said. “I was more interested in being with my children.” She performed in two trios - The Carroll Sisters (with Glenda Wanniger & Ramona Carroll); and The Something Else! Trio (with Merle Dollar & double first cousin Peggy Jones). Sylvia & Peggy teamed up with first cousin Anne Delane Burttram McNabb & performed at various venues. Sylvia, Peggy & Anne Delane are seen together in photos from virtually their births to Sylvia’s death. Playing & singing & laughing was the only thing she ever knew, and it was never work for her. She brought her A-game in front of just a few or packed houses. Her music came from somewhere really deep; she was lively & beautiful with lightning-quick hands. From big band to “12st Street Rag” to her original songs to her imaginative arrangements of established songs, she dazzled everyone who saw & heard. In fact, she played “12th Street Rag” at her mother-in-law’s funeral at her request. It was in the same church where her service will be on July 13. In another place due to her inability to play her kinda music anymore, drive her vehicle or cut her own hair, still she was so determined to do things for herself so not to burden others. She hesitated about asking for assistance with anything. The thought of hurting someone’s feelings was never in her heart. She found the best in everybody & made the most of bad situations. J.W. called her “Friar Tuck.” He’d say, “Ol’ Friar Tuck’s out doing good again.” She had a tremendous amount of fight & fire, with an unimaginable spirit & will to live. She was never, however, gonna fight the will of God. She said only recently, “Whatever God wants is what I want. If He wants to cure me, I’ll praise Him. If that’s not His plan, I’ll pray for the strength & courage to do His will.” Normal humans would not have made it as long as she did with what she endured over the last eight years. We should all wish for a tenth of her strength & will power. Like her brother Garry said upon hearing of his big sister’s death, “There will never be another Sylvia Waid.”

Sylvia Frances Waid

March 24, 1939 - July 8, 2026