Sylvia Ramay was born on July 14, 1913 in Quinlan, Texas to Kattie (Russell) and Emmitt Pickens and grew up in Emery Texas where her parents worked on a farm and raised five children in a Christian home. She married Hardy Ramay in 1928 in Farmersville, Texas and they raised four children, Hardy, Jr., Lois, Dorothy and Lonnie. They were a very happy family. The family moved to Dallas, Texas where they both worked at North America building B-29 airplanes for the war. In 1943 the family moved to Shafter and worked for EMH Mettler until retirement. The children attended Shafter schools until they married and they blessed Sylvia and Hardy with 10 wonderful grandchildren and 15 great great-grandchildren. The best time of their lives was when the children all came home for meals and holidays. Sylvia is survived by her daughter Dorothy and family; grandchildren; sister, Mildred Ward; brother, Robert Pickens; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband Hardy; 2 sons, Hardy, Jr., and Lonnie; daughter, Lois; grandsons Timothy and Jim; and son-in-law, Ken Allen. When the 7th Standard Church was started in 1997, Sylvia was there and she made it her home church. Sylvia left this message, "I loved the Lord with all my heart and my Pastor Bro. Jim and his wife Sis. Brenda and family. All my church friends were my second family. I thanked the Lord many times for this church and all of the church people that helped me and made it possible for me to be in church. God bless each of you." Love, Sylvia. A graveside service will be held Monday, October 10, 2011 at 11am at Shafter Memorial Park for Sylvia Lois Ramay, age 98, of Shafter who passed away October 5, 2011 in Bakersfield. Pastor Jim Glasco of the 7th Standard Pentecostal Church of God will officiate and interment will follow. Visitation will be held Sunday, October 9th at Peters Funeral Home from 2pm until 8pm