Sylvia Lynn Arbegust Prendergast of Friendswood, Texas passed away on January 11, 2026 in Pearland, Texas at the age of 77 from complications of gastric cancer.  She was born on November 3, 1948, to Jacqueline Sylvia Hempel Arbegust and Edwin Rimmer Arbegust in Galveston, Texas.  Proud to be born on the island–BOI, she was a member of the Class of ’66 at Ursuline Academy and graduated from the University of Dallas in 1970 with degrees in English and Secondary Education.

On August 22, 1970, she happily married a fellow Galvestonian, Charles Frederick Prendergast, a fightin’ Texas Aggie.  She fell in love with Charles and Texas A&M, and they enjoyed many happy years watching and attending Aggie football games.  Charles was commissioned as a Regular US Army 2nd Lieutenant in November 1970 and entered active duty at Fort Knox, Kentucky.  While at Fort Knox, the couple welcomed their daughter, Alice Sylvia, in 1971.  Charles, Sylvia, and Alice spent the next 24 years living the Army life at Ft. Knox, Ft. Huachuca, Arizona, Seoul, South Korea, Ft. Meade, Maryland, and Munich, West Germany.

Sylvia was a substitute teacher for many years in various school systems until she retired in December 1999 to help take care of the first of her three grandchildren.  She enjoyed cruising the Caribbean, birdwatching, gardening, and watching her grandkids play sports and perform at concerts.  After retiring from the Army in 1994, Charles and Sylvia settled in Friendswood and became members of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in League City, Texas.  They were active members of the Friendswood Senior Activity Center where Sylvia enjoyed Charles’ exercise class and taught line dancing classes.  Sylvia’s other passion was listening to and discussing music–everything from classic rock to hair metal.

Sylvia was preceded in death by her parents; her uncle Fredrick and aunt Dorothy Hempel; brothers-in-law Robert, Donald, and Stephen Prendergast; cousins Fredrick Hempel and Barbara Gast O’Connell.  She is survived by Charles, her loving husband of 55 years; daughter Alice Prendergast Lowrey of Pearland; grandchildren Ian Charles Lowrey and wife Adilynn MurLane Muenich Lowrey of Pearland; Ross Maxwell Lowrey and partner Larissa Rae Harrison of Boulder, Colorado; and Jacqueline Sylvia Lowrey of Pearland; niece Kari Prendergast Long, husband Nick, and sons Richard Sterling and Robert Walker Long of League City; sister-in-law Carol Prendergast, niece Lynn Robinson and husband Mark of Escondido, California; nephew Robert Prendergast and wife Sally of Encinitas, California, and daughters Sophie Prendergast Whicheloe, husband James and Olivia Prendergast; and numerous beloved cousins and cherished friends.  

A visitation will be held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 1612 E. Walker St, League City, Texas 77573, on Friday, January 30, 2026 at 2:00 pm followed by a memorial Mass at 3:00 pm.  A private interment will be held at Mt. Olivet Catholic Cemetery in Dickinson, Texas at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Sylvia’s memory to St. Mary of the Expectation, 1612 E. Walker St, League City, TX  77573 https://saintmcc.org/give.