"Synthia" is given to the Glory of God and to Third Presbyterian Church In Honor and Memory of Lance Corporal Wesley Aaron Slye March 25, 1983 - November 9, 2001.

Wes loved God, his family, the Marine Corps, the outdoors and music. During his short lifetime, he played three instruments and enjoyed almost every type of music, from Gregorian chant, Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Tchaikovsky - through ethnic music Motown, rock and roll, patriotic and military music and country (sometimes to our dismay). One fall Wes was into listening to bagpipes and one summer it was pan flutes. One could never anticipate the next musical interest. 

The support and love of music was always present in our family life. We were very happy when Wes insisted on taking piano lessons, and we loved seeing him in the children's choir at church. He started playing the saxophone in middle school, and later looked incredibly handsome in his high school Marching Band uniform. He enjoyed playing big band music with the high school Jazz Band. We will never forget listening to him play "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" on his trumpet for the Easter Sunrise Service back in Suffolk, Virginia. 

Wes always supported our musical interests as well. As a small child Wes sat with other adults in church on Sunday morning as we sang in the church choir. Later when we served in the music ministry of two churches, Wes attended both services and served as an acolyte or nursery worker. When we sang with the Virginia Symphony he would go to concerts to hear us. Together we went to the Symphony Pops series to hear blues and jazz greats like Ray Charles and B. B. King. Many evenings dinner was an event at our house because Wes liked to "dine". That meant lighting the candles, setting the table properly and always having music during dinner... many times Louis Armstrong. 

We no longer have our son here with us. He is with his heavenly father... but we still have the music. We thank God for the music, for the 18 years we had Wes and for the love and support of our Charlotte family.

Terri and Paul Karlsson