COL Ellen Synovec, US Army (Ret.)

Colonel Ellen Corley Synovec, US Army, (Ret.), 71, of Columbia, died on Friday, August 12, 2022. Born in Boston, MA, on September 20, 1950, she was a daughter of the late BG John T. Corley, USA (Ret.), and Mary B. Corley (both deceased). She was born the fifth of seven children in a proud military family, moving multiple times throughout her childhood before the family permanently moved to Columbia, SC upon their father’s retirement from the military. She graduated from Cardinal Newman High School in 1968. She would go on to earn her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of South Carolina in 1972. She would later earn her Master of Science in Nursing Administration from the University of South Carolina and her Master of Business Administration from the University of Northern Colorado. She joined the Army during her undergraduate studies at the University of South Carolina through the Army Student Nurse Program, in large part due to the death of her brother, 1Lt John T. Corley Jr., USA in Vietnam in 1968. Throughout her 27 years in uniform, she served in a variety of Army Nurse Corps roles in Georgia, Virginia, Texas, Kansas, Japan, and South Korea. Upon retiring from the Army in 1998, she moved to Columbia with her sons to begin her post-Army life and reunite with her family. In her post-Army life, she would work at Blue Cross Blue Shield, Providence Hospitals, and finally at the University of South Carolina. At the University, she devoted the last ten years of her working career to giving back to the profession she so deeply cherished by working as a Clinical Professor of Nursing. Upon her retirement from Carolina, the College of Nursing honored her by designating her as a Clinical Professor Emerita of Nursing. Upon finally retiring from her working life, she deeply enjoyed spending time with her children, grandchildren, family, and friends. Furthermore, she became an avid world traveler with a little encouragement from her lifelong best friend, Kathy Siebert. While she was referred to by many titles from the people in her life, she was incredibly proud of becoming a Nana to her grandchildren. She loved spoiling them and was an incredible fixture in their lives from the moment they were born. People who knew her will remember her loving, kind, selfless, and calm demeanor. Most importantly, they will remember a time in which she personally went of her way to help them, support them, or share a laugh. To her children, she will always be the person that taught them to become men of resolute character, deep faith, and selfless service. Both of them will attest that the honorable men they are today is a direct result of being raised by her and wanting to live lives that made her proud. She was preceded in death by her brothers 1Lt John T. Corley, Jr and Robert Corley.Survivors include: her two sons, Maj Thomas M. Synovec, PhD, US Air Force, and CPT(P) John D. Synovec, MD, US Army, who were her pride and joy; her two daughters-in-law, Megan and Mariah Synovec; her two grandchildren, Emma and Hudson Synovec; and her four surviving brothers and sisters, James W. Corley, Esq. of Columbia, SC, Mary Corley Powers of Charleston, SC, COL Michael J. Corley, USA (Ret.) and his wife Solveigh High Corley of Smithfield, VA, and Carol Corley Windham of Columbia, SC. A Mass of Christian Burial for COL Synovec will be held at 1230, Friday, August 19th, at St. John Neumann Catholic Church, 100 Polo Road, Columbia, with The Rev. Fr. C. Alexander McDonald officiating. Burial with full military honors will follow in Fort Jackson National Cemetery at 1400. A rosary will be held at Shives Funeral Home, Trenholm Road Chapel, 7600 Trenholm Road Ext., Columbia on Thursday evening at 1700 with a visitation to follow until 1900. A livestream of the service will be available by visiting her tribute page or the current webcast tab at ShivesFuneralHome.com Memorials may be made to St. John Neumann’s Building Construction Fund in Ellen Synovec’s name.

Tributes

COL Ellen Synovec, US Army (Ret.)

September 20, 1950 - August 12, 2022