Obituary – Kyle Sillyman
Kyle Sillyman was born in Salem, Mo. on May 2, 1939, to Frank and Fern (Douglas) Sillyman. He passed away February 5, 2021, at his home in Houston, Mo. after a lengthy illness. He was 81 years of age.
After completing Houston High School in 1959, Kyle and a friend headed to Chicago to work on an iron ore ship named the Edward G. Ryerson, which covered the Great Lakes. Kyle did not like being on a boat all the time, so he moved to Wisconsin and worked in an auto body shop. He started racing motorcycles on weekends doing scrambles, hill climbs and flat tracks in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri. He later got into pro racing and earned his Pro Plate number 35G, which he was very proud of. He also met and married Sharon Robinson in Wisconsin and to this union 2 beautiful daughters were born. They moved back to Houston and Kyle started his own racetrack, first on Oakhill Drive, then in Bucyrus. He later opened his own body shop and had it for many years. After closing it he worked at Romines Motor Company in the body shop and then as a mechanic.
On March 18, 1978, he married his best friend, Joni Cummins. They enjoyed riding motorcycles, camping, flying, sailing, and watching their favorite team, the Green Bay Packers play. They loved to also spend time with their fur-babies Sophie and Punkin.
Kyle worked as an over-the-road truck driver and enjoyed getting to drive through 48 states. He taught Joni to drive so she could be on the road with him as team drivers. He also drove a dump truck for his brother-in-law on different construction projects.
When he retired, he decided to be a “snowbird” in Florida in the winter and worked part-time at Debo’s in the summer.
Kyle was a member of the Hwy 17 Church of Christ and loved his church family dearly.
He was preceded in death by his parents; grandparents; brother, Larry; grandson, Jacob (Jake) Ross; and father-in-law, Earl Cummins.
Kyle is survived by his wife, Joni, of the home; daughters, Tammy Ross and husband Tim of St. Cloud, Fla., and Tina Bean and husband Jeff of Rutherfordton, N.C.; grandchildren, Timothy (T.J.) Ross of St. Cloud, Fla., Sara Crawford and fiancé Dustin King of St. Cloud, Fla., Cody Crawford and wife Cassie of Lakeland, Fla., and they had just told Kyle he was going to be a “Great Grandpa”; also, by his mother-in-law Norma Cummins; and brother and sister-in-law Terry and Debbie Dzurick and their families; many cousins; and his brothers and sisters in Christ.
Kyle was a wonderful husband, Dad, Grandpa, and friend. He will be missed by all who knew and loved him.
The family respectfully suggests donations be made to the Kyle Sillyman Memorial Fund, in lieu of flowers. Online condolences may be sent to www.evansfh.com.
Services were held Wednesday, February 10, 2021, at 11 a.m. at Evans Funeral Home with Todd Richardson officiating. Burial was in Pine Lawn Cemetery. Services were under the direction of Evans Funeral Home. Pallbearers were Wayne Harper, Lewis Miller, Jayson Wilson, Boomer Wilson, Clint Sillyman and Kevin Reed. Honorary Pallbearers were Ralph Cockrum, Dean Wilson, Terry Dzurick, Bruce Frazier, Doyle Henken and Steve Cowan.
