Guestene Sillas

Guestene Terry was born June 9, 1947 in Mounds, Illinois to Alice and Canary Terry. She was the older sister of Erline, Gloria and Aaron. Some would say she was a second mother to her brother Aaron. Guestene attended Cahokia Senior High School where she enjoyed being around her friends and a guy named “Bull”. Turns out, “Bull” was also called Butch and Guestene and Butch were the High School Sweethearts of their time.

Guestene and Butch got married and became Mr. and Mrs. Ezra Sillas, Jr. and eventually moved to Des Moines Iowa.  Ezra attended Drake        University and Guestene worked at Ma Belle as a Telephone Operator. She worked “splits” a few hours in the morning and a few hours at night. During her career she was also a Tax Preparer for H&R Block and a Claims Adjustor and Auditor at different Insurance Companies. They  welcomed their first born Tynnetta Rene, three years later their son Arez and seven years later, their baby girl Endya Claryce.

Guestene loved to bake, create recipes, dance, listen to music but her real passion was to sew.  She would spend all day and night in her     sewing room, cutting out patterns, sewing the material on her machine and by hand. When she finally emerged, she would have new suits that included the blazers, vest, pants and skirts.  She made her own clothes because she didn’t want to see herself coming in the opposite directing with the same outfits. She loved lighthouse whether they were on      dinner plates, cups, wall art, jewelry or clothing. Guestene even visited and went up in a few of them with Ezra.

Guestene was a quiet person, she preferred to say inside the comfort of her own home.  She figured, she and Ezra worked hard to pay for a house and furnishing it, therefore she would enjoy it to the fullest.  She loved crispy cookies such as Chocolate Chip, Lemon, Peanut butter and Raspberry.  She baked different types of homemade bread, made quick and easy dinners and loved cold Pepsi, Dr, Pepper, Root Beer and 7-Up.

Guestene and Ezra were together since high school and married over 50 years.  They loved going dancing on a Friday or Saturday night, traveling by vehicle to visit family, to a game or a concert. Guestene loved having the ‘kids and the grandkids ’over on the weekends. She enjoyed her life and wanted her children and grandchildren to do the same.

Guestene Sillas passed away at The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, in Iowa City Iowa on the night of March 13th, 2024 with her daughter Tynnetta by her side.  Guestene is preceded in death by her parents Alice and Canary Terry, her husband Ezra Sillas Jr of 50 plus years, her son Arez Sillas and her daughter Endya Sillas Johnson.

The following people are left to cherish her memory daughter, Tynnetta Sillas; siblings, Erline Terry, Gloria Terry Love, Aaron (Candace) Terry; sister in-law, Katie Moore (Willie Reed); brothers in-law, Walter (Alma) Sillas and Hercules (Sylvania) Brown; grandchildren, Kabrina Voigts, DeVontez Voigts, Brianna Smith, Sydney Sillas, Janea Johnson, Aerz Johnson and Remi Johnson along with a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and friends.