Sylvia Cross

Sylvia H. Cross, of the town of Waukesha, died Tuesday, October 25, 2011 at Waukesha Memorial Hospital at the age of 77. She was born on August 26, 1934, in Milwaukee, the daughter of Haakon T. and Marguerite (nee Andersen) Svanoe. She was a 1952 graduate of Riverside High School and attended Milwaukee Downer College from 1952-1954, majoring in Art Education. On March 20, 1954, she married James Cross and after two years of traveling with Jim while he was on active duty in the Air Force, they settled in California where they lived from 1956 until 1997. From 1956 until 1959 she attended UCLA and graduated with a degree in Art and with a secondary teaching credential. She went on to teach art at Venice High School in California. In 1969 until 1975 she was Vice President, Editor-in-Chief at Nash Publishing in Los Angeles. She then became a Publishing Consultant from 1976-1989. In October 1990 she was the Senior Editor for high school art and health textbooks at Glencoe McGraw Hill, until she and Jim moved to Waukesha in 1997. She was the President of Women’s National Book Association from 1982-84. She will be sadly missed by her husband of 57 years, James Cross, along with their daughter Carolyn (Edwin) Ward, her sister Signy (Tom) Smith and nieces Sandy, Sue and Margie. No formal services will be held. For further information, please call Randle-Dable-Brisk Funeral, Cremation and Preplanning Services at (262) 547-4035, or go to www.waukeshafunerals.com to leave an on-line tribute.