Sibyl and I met in August 1990. I was 20 and she just turned 24.
I was new-ish in Philly, working at Photo Cine Shop to pay for college. Sibyl was born and raised in the Philly suburbs, a few years out of UArts and a talented artist.
Our first encounter was brief. She came to meet Chuck — her friend and my co-worker — at the shop. It was a small place on 18th street, across from where Anthropology is today but back then was an original Urban Outfitters. And there is a fuzzy memory in mind of standing on a stool to clean something when Sibyl came into the store.
She thought I was arrogant. And I thought she was magical.
Then, Chuck and his girlfriend — who had a good feeling about our prospects as a couple — tricked us into drinks at McGlinchey’s.
We hit it off
I spilled a pitcher of Rolling Rock (She later said that made her love me)
We smooched on Chuck’s couch
The last train home to Germantown already left
Sibyl said, you could stay over, as friends
For the next 36 years, we never separated
We raised three kids, founded PhotoLounge, loved and cared for aging parents, two cats, two dogs, and a parakeet. We developed our careers, and Sibyl blossomed as an artist.
Recently, we came full circle, back to a small apartment in the city, just like when it all started. And right nearby to where it began. Sibyl was already sick. But we were excited to be — still — on this journey.
She was receiving treatment for metastatic cancer diagnosed in 2020 during the height of Covid. But it came time — we ran out of time — and we said goodbye earlier this week.
This picture was taken in 1991 in the basement of Sibyl's life-long best friend, Cindy. Still in the same house, her mom kept the print all these years, and we just saw it for the first time.
Sibyl recalled that back then, Cindy's mom, Bonnie, a wise lady, told her, we are a great couple.
— Ravid Butz, Founder of PhotoLounge
Sibyl Weidner
1966-2026