Sybil Hutchings was born in Hurt, Virginia on August 30, 1918 to the parentage of James Pannell of Hurt, Virginia and Gertrude Wooding of Pittsylvania County. Sybil was the fifth of fourteen children, seven boys and seven girls. She attended school in her early years in Cook County and began working early in life to help the family. She did domestic work in Altavista, Virginia and later worked for the Lane Company. She also taught herself to do hair and used this trade as a means to earn income for many years.

In 1947 Sybil met her future husband, John Hutchings. They were married in 1949 and moved to New Jersey to start their new life. To this union four children were born: Shirley, John, Larry, and Albert, hi April of this year, they celebrated sixty-one years of marriage.

Sybil accepted Christ as her savior at an early age. After moving to New Jersey she became active at Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church in Fenwick, New Jersey. She later joined the fellowship and actively served on the choir and the stewardess board until she was unable to do so. She enjoyed fellowshipping with other believers and was known especially for her kindness and willingness to help others.

As the children matured, she sought employment outside the home. Sybil worked as a nurse assistant at Mater Dei Nursing Home in Newfield, New Jersey. She was employed there for 16 years and retired in 1980.

After residing in New Jersey for 57 years, Sybil moved to Texas during the last years of her life. She was preceded in death by her husband, John, this year. She leaves to mourn one daughter, Shirley and her husband Martin who reside in Texas; and three sons, John and his wife Shirley, who live in New Jersey; Larry and his wife Carolyn, who live in Maryland; and the youngest son, Albert, who lives in Washington, DC. She also leaves one sister, Florence, and one brother, Edward Levearl, four sisters-in-law, Nancy, Sarah, Celess and Naomi, one brother-in-law, Edward, along with nine grandchildren; Patience, Doris, Charlene, Angela, Sharmin, Tamika, Lawrence, Martin Jr., and Melissa and a host of great grandchildren, nieces, nephews and other relatives.

Services will be held Saturday at 11AM at the Mt. Zion AME Church Woodstown - Alloway Rd. Woodstown, with Pastor Frank I Smart, officiating. Interment will be in the Lawnside Cemetery Woodstown. Family and friends may call at the church Saturday from 10am-11am.