- Date Of Birth: November 26, 1922
- Date Of Death: August 20, 2021
- State: New Mexico
Hilda Marie Syme departed from this earth to begin her newly restored life in heaven on August 20, 2021. She owes this to her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Marie was born in Laurel, Mississippi in 1922 to Laurence and Hilda DeBoxtel, and lived in Florida and San Benito, Texas before moving to Albuquerque with her mother in 1939. She graduated the following year from Albuquerque High School, and three years later met the love of her life, George Syme. They were married within months of meeting in 1943 and George was immediately sent overseas serving as a B-17 bombardier with the 8th Air Force based in England. On his fourth mission the plane was shot down and George spent the rest of his time in a German POW camp until he was liberated. George received his honorable discharge the day after Christmas 1945, and he and Marie operated a small cafe on Lankershim Blvd in Hollywood, California before moving to Albuquerque. Marie worked at Kirtland AFB during the war, and New Mexico School Supply. She briefly worked at Albuquerque National Bank before joining Sandia National Labs in April 1957.
She is survived by her younger sister, Yvonne (Bonnie) M. Conley; half-brother, Larry DeBoxtel; half-sister, Carol Hamilton; daughters, Vicki Smith (Jim) and Kathi Case (Roger); grandchildren, Scott Smith (Rachel), Heidi Foulkrod (Brett), Chris Case (Katie), Kelli Medina (Felipe); and nine great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Laurence DeBoxtel, Hilda Johnston; and her husband of 64 years, George E. (Pappy) Syme for whom she was a caregiver during his later years. We rejoice over her life and are grateful that she was a believer in Jesus Christ. Special thanks for her loving care during the last year of her life by Charlene, Faye, Justine, Sue, Dawn and Zorah at VILA Teakwood.
