February 14, 1979 – January 23, 2020
Mary Theresa (Sylla) Rabenort, 40, of Jacksonville, went to her heavenly home on January 23, 2020. Mary was born February 14, 1979 in Medina, Ohio to John P. Sylla and Lissa D. (Richardson) Sylla. In her early teens, Mary moved from Ohio to Wisconsin after her mother passed away; she moved to Minnesota one year later after the death of her father to live with his sister, Grace, and her husband, Donald Clark. Desiring a great adventure after graduating from high school, Mary moved to Los Angeles. While enjoying the beauty and climate of Southern California, Mary started her nursing career as an LVN in 2004, later earning her RN and finally finishing with a master’s degree as a family Nurse Practitioner (FNP.) For more than thirteen years, Mary served her community as a nurse, working with patients of all ages and from all walks of life including the developmentally disabled, blind and deaf, and as a family nurse practitioner. Throughout her adult life, Mary volunteered her time as a humanitarian and as a missionary including a full year in South Africa.
Mary thrived on traveling adventures visiting multiple countries in Europe, Israel, Mexico, the Bahamas, and enjoying cross-country trips in the US and Hawaii, always desiring to help people on her journeys as a true humanitarian and nurse. Mary loved life along with all of its beauty and had many animals, nieces and nephews, beloved friends and family, believing all of us are creations of the Living God. Mary enjoyed outdoor activities, walking, hiking, rock-climbing, body-surfing, kayaking and gardening. Mary lived out her final years in beautiful Jacksonville, enjoying the atmosphere of music, wine and friendship with many loved ones. After a two-year battle with cancer, Mary went home to be with her Savior to start a new adventure.
Mary is preceded in death by her parents, one of her cats, named Pig and one of her dogs named Jack. She is survived by her aunt Grace Clark, sister and brother-in-law Suzanne and Donald Roskos, nieces and nephews John, Grace, Sarah and Greysen, cousins Julie Anderson, Mike Clark, Matthew Richardson, her dog Scout, and many other beloved family, friends and soulmates unnamed that will forever hold Mary in their hearts.
Mary’s magnetic personality, tenacious compassion and sarcastic wit will never be forgotten.