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The Pinecone
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August 2015
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R E M E M B E R I N G E L V I S
Sylvia Statham
“Love me tender, love me true….” The crooning
voice of Elvis Presley that sent young people of the
60’s into 7th heaven. How many girls and women
bought all of his records, sat rapt before the TV set
when he was featured, stood in countless lines to see
him in person – phenomenal.
Sylvia Statham, mother, grandmother, and resident
of the Kirby Pines Retirement Community, was one
of Elvis’most ardent fans. She recalls a time in 1956
when her Nursing School roommate moved to the new affluent
subdivision of Whitehaven called the “Graceland Neighborhood.”
Their backyard opened to the back gate of Graceland (later
purchased by Elvis). Sylvia and her roommate spent many happy
weekends in the home and Elvis often rode his motorcycle over to
visit with them every time. “Fun” doesn’t quite capture the thrills
of these two young girls when Elvis dropped by. Frequently, they
would hear a car horn in front of their Nursing School dormitory,
followed by his deep voice loudly calling, “Sally—Sylvia--.” He
would not stop until one of the girls or the housemother went
outside to acknowledge him. One evening Sylvia and Sally were
at a movie at the Gayoso Theater when, suddenly, an arm went
around each of their shoulders pulling them together and Elvis’
face was thrust between their heads. He gave them a brief kiss
on the cheek and said “Hey there,
girls.” The first time this happened,
Sylvia’s first reaction was to slap this uninvited
and unexpected intruder, but she didn’t. If she had, she might have
been the only girl in the world who slapped Elvis after he kissed
her.
We know Sylvia Statham as a former private pilot and plane owner,
scuba diver, Mo-Ped rider, bungee jumper, and Registered Nurse.
Her volunteer work includes knitting hats for the Downtown
Mission for the Homeless, lap robes for the Alzheimer Center, and
shawls for Methodist Hospice patients. She was an active member
of the Parkway Village Baptist Church, blending her voice with
others as a ministry in music.
Ask her about Elvis – immediately, she segues back to those
special days and, with a sparkle in her eyes, recites “chapter and
verse” of the impact he had on her young life. Her collection of 45
RPM records of early Presley music has been “gifted” to a young
family member - a treasure indeed. As we age, some memories
lose their luster and fade. Not for
Sylvia – not about Elvis.
-Jacqueline Besteman, Resident
Sylvia and long-time friend, Sally
Sylvia in her
Nursing School years.