American professional psychic, gifted all her life and founder of Nirvana Foundation for Psychic Research in 1974. In her interesting autobiography, Sylvia tells of her lifelong association with her spirit guide, Francine, a South American Indian entity who first took over the girl’s body when she was eight.
Born with a caul over her face and head, Sylvia came naturally into her gift from a family background of prescience. When she was three, she informed her folks that her sister would be born in three years (as she was) and at five, began to foresee deaths and events that were frightening to a child. Her grandmother, Ada Coil, reassured her that it was a natural gift, and taught her psychic etiquette, such as not babbling inappropriately that her dad was going out to see a girlfriend.
At eight, Sylvia became clairvoyant and clairaudient, seeing Francine, and becoming prophetic about future events. She learned to tell people of their mission and soul-work, themes and patterns, but was never able to see her own future. Often flip, funny and down to earth, the sparkling redhead learned to be an entertaining lecturer and was a popular TV guest, a particular favorite of Montel Williams.
On 7/13/1954, her beloved Grandma Ada died, followed a few days later by her uncle. Sylvia went to college, majoring in education and planning to teach. She was engaged for four years but at 19, crashed into love with a man who did not mention his wife and two kids.
Sylvia began her teaching career in September 1956 and loved it. She was also “reading” for people who requested it, including the Catholic nuns at her school. In October 1958 she met Gary Defresne, a cop, on a blind date and they married 4/02/1959. It was ten days before the marriage was consummated, and sex was always an uncomfortable issue between them.
Francine confirmed that Sylvia became pregnant on 12/09/1959, 9:30 PM, Kansas City, and her son, Paul Jon, was born on his dad’s birthday, 8/19/1960. Though Sylvia wanted to stay home with her baby, Gary insisted that she continue teaching to bring in an income. They bought a first home in early 1961, but it was on a bad psychic location and had continual problems.
Gary was dismissed from the Police Force and they decided to try life in California, moving to Sunnyvale, where he got a job as a fireman. The entire family moved west and they got a duplex to live as an extended family.
Though holding a job, Sylvia gradually began speaking before groups and giving demonstrations. When she took post-grad classes, she met teacher Bob Williams, a dear love for four years until he died of AIDS.
Her second son, Christopher Michael was born in February 1966. It was he who carried on the family gift and later worked with his mom in the psychic field. Both boys grew to be a handsome 6’6″. By 1971, her marriage to Gary was over.
Sylvia met another fireman, Dal Brown and they married on 1/07/1972. She and Dal started the Nirvana Foundation in San Jose, borrowing $2400 to begin the non-profit corporation. On 6/11/1974, she opened her own office from where she gave readings for a fee of $7.50. At the foundation, she and Francine gave lectures and classes in psychic development. She gradually raised her fee to $15, then $30 and by the ’90s, up to $400. By 1990, they had a staff of 14 for classes, services, cassettes and booklets.
In 1988, Sylvia divorced Dal after finding illegal dealings.
One of Sylvia’s clients in 1973 had been a student named Larry Beck. He returned into her life in 1986 to help with the Foundation and the Church she founded. They married on 9/11/1994.
Both of Sylvia’s parents died in 1995, four months apart. She expanded her work to help the police department with missing kids and homicides, and her fame spread in articles and TV guest shots.
Sylvia died on 20 November 2013 at age 77.
Link to Wikipedia biography