John Syron
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/lsj/obituary.aspx?pid=162606680John William Syron Lansing John William Syron ended his courageous journey on earth January 19, 2013. John was born July 24, 1958 to Jane Elizabeth (Wetherby) Syron and Donald Eugene Syron in Lyons, NY. John grew up in Ontario Center, NY, where his parents owned a pharmacy/gift store for many years. John and his brothers, Daniel and David, attended Wayne Central School District schools until he moved with his parents to New Castle, PA, where he graduated in 1976 from Neshannock High School. John attended the College of Wooster in Wooster, OH, where he graduated in 1980 with a degree in History. After college, John moved to Burlington, VT, where he lived with Daniel for a year while working for the IBM facility in Essex Junction and as a courier for EDS. A year later, after his brother married, John moved to South Carolina, where he joined the United States Air Force in 1984. During his eight years in the service, he worked as a radio communications analyst specialist and was stationed at RAF Chicksands in England, Bad Aibling in Germany, and Ft Mead near Washington, DC. He achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant and was awarded numerous ribbons and medals. After his discharge from the Air Force, John continued in his life-long desire to learn by obtaining a Masters degree in Library Science from the State University of New York in Albany, NY. During that time, as a part of a class, John signed up for a listserv devoted to cinema, where he met the love of his life, Tamara D. Hicks. They were married on September 3, 1994 at First Presbyterian Church in Marshall, MI and began their life together in Lansing, MI, where Tamara worked at Michigan State University, and John worked at the Brennan Library at Thomas M Cooley Law School. John enjoyed current events, reading, trivia, history, video games, and collecting comic books. He was also known for his love of animals, ultimately rescuing, together with Tamara, eight beagles. John bravely fought a brain tumor and meningitis in the last 14 months of his life; the last 8 months were in hospice, where he told the staff that he was not there to die; rather, to live out his days. And live, he did, with his wife and beagle by his side. He was preceded in death by his parents, Don and Jane Syron; his aunt, Joan Wetherby, his grandparents, and his beagles, Linus, Max, Heidi, Satchmo, and most recently, Abbey. Surviving John are his wife, Tamara; his brothers, Daniel (Helen) Syron of Burlington, VT and David Syron, of Davis, CA; his nephews, William Syron of Groton, CT and Jonathan Hicks of East Lansing, MI; his niece, Kelsie Hicks of Marshall, MI, numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins, and his faithful beagle, Elvis. This is not the end, but only the beginning of his life, safely wrapped in God's arms. Visitation will be at Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes, 1730 E. Grand River Ave, East Lansing, on Thursday, January 24, 2013 from 2-4 p.m.and 6-8 p.m. The memorial services will be at All Saints Episcopal Church in East Lansing, 800 Abbot Rd, East Lansing on Friday, January 25, 2013 at 2 p.m., with a committal service with military honors at Ft. Custer National Cemetery, Augusta, MI at Noon on Monday, January 28, 2013. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be given to the Capital Area Humane Society, 7095 W. Grand River Ave., Lansing, MI 48906. On line condolences may be made at www.greastlansing.com. Published in Lansing State Journal on Jan. 24, 2013 - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/lsj/obituary.aspx?pid=162606680#sthash.mURJobqx.dpuf