Sylvia Duban

Sylvia Matlin Duban was born on a Sunday, June 10, 1928 and, doing the math, was 96 years old when she peacefully passed away in her sleep at her home in Palm Desert, California on February 14, 2025. She gratefully had her family near and was keeping them smiling with her keen wit until the end. 

She was born and raised in Chicago and was welcomed by her older sister, Lillian and her parents Harry and Mary who owned a grocery-deli in the heart of the Windy City. Sylvia was a very bright child who loved to learn. She excelled, along with her sister, at music and the piano….and learned to cut razor thin lox at her father’s store. 

She was attending college when she was set up on a blind date with the charming Abe Duban who was a veteran of World War ll and starting in his family business with his father and brother. Sylvia knew right away, “that’s going to be my husband”, but shy Abe took a while to pop the question. But once the question was answered they relished their union for 73 wonderful years. Moving to Skokie, Illinois with their first child Dennis, they began to grow their family when Robert came along three years later and their treasured surprise, Helene some seven years after. 

Abe decided to retire from the business and they chose to move to the better climate in sunny California in 1969. After launching their three kids into the world they needed a challenge and decided to both acquire their Real Estate license. This started a 50 year love of the real estate business and when their oldest son, Dennis needed a business manager at his CPA firm Sylvia jumped at the chance to put her smarts to work. She worked at real estate and at DLD Accountancy until she finally retired at 93. She was a force to behold!

She lost her beloved Abe three years ago, but moved to her latest favorite home in the desert where she was the welcoming committee as well as entertained the other residents playing the piano.

She was predeceased by her parents, sister and her loving husband, as well as her beloved daughter, Helene. She is survived by her son, Dennis and his husband Kevin, her son Robert and his wife Emily and her son-in-law Willie; her grandchildren, Stefan Duban and his wife Jessica, Mark Duban and his wife Rachel, Heather (Duban) Lee and her husband Eric, Chelsea Montgomery-Duban Waechter and her husband Dominic, Alex Nishizawa and Rebecca Nishizawa; her five great grandchildren, Remy, Mason, Emerson, Rowan and Tristan