Vern E. Sillman
Age 72, of Lansing, MI, passed away peacefully and comfortably on December 9, 2015. He was born May 19, 1943, in St. Johns, MI, to Charles and Angela Sillman.
Vern was a barber for over 50 years in the Lansing area. He enjoyed people, playing golf, loved all kinds of sports, and was MSU Spartan fan.
He is survived by his loving partner, Kathy Forquer; children, Mark (Pam) Coven, Dan (Jennifer) Sillman, Cindy (Brian) Vollmer, Susan (Jim) Hesse and Shelly (Greg) Hall; 10 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and brother, Evart Sillman. He was preceded in death by his wife, Sylvia; his parents; and 11 brothers and sisters.
A memorial service will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 17, 2015, at the Estes-Leadley Greater Lansing Chapel. Inurnment with military honors will follow in Deepdale Memorial Gardens. His family will receive friends from 5-8 p.m. on Wednesday, December 16th and beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 17th at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project.
21 Messages to “Vern E. Sillman”
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Cindy Vollmer
December 11, 2015 at 9:37 amVern will be missed very much by all of us kids. I am so proud of my brothers and sisters as we all stood together with our Stad. We are all comforted to know he is now with Mom.
Dan Sillman
December 11, 2015 at 2:12 pmDad has been the most incredible example to me my entire life! I owe all of my strengths to him. I can only hope I am half the man he was. I smile when I think of he and Mom’s reunion in Heaven. I can picture them golfing together at the most beautiful Golf Course. Mom is probably beating him….lol. The family and I look forward to seeing you all and sharing old stories and memories as we celebrate his terrific life and graduation into heaven.
Al and Liz Kaiser
December 11, 2015 at 4:50 pmHope you are singing Gary Indianna up there! We will miss you here on earth.
susan hesse
December 11, 2015 at 9:25 pmafter mom passed-all of us kids turned to vern, he was our rock,its so good to realize that we can count on each other to make it through this-what a celabration that must be going in heaven right now to recieve such a beautiful man!
Linda (Sillman) Mackety
December 12, 2015 at 12:54 pmUncle Vern and I were very close as kids since he was only 2 years older than me. We sure did get into some “devilment” as my Dad would say and I’m hoping he will still be mischievous in heaven. He loved life so much, but it was not kind to him in the end. I’m glad to know he is no longer suffering. I will hold Kathy and the rest of the family in my prayers. My love to you all.
Duane and Judy Raymond
December 12, 2015 at 3:10 pmWe will miss Vern so much. What a great guy. Seemed more like a brother than brother-in-law. We love you, Vern.
Heidi Myers
December 12, 2015 at 3:22 pmVern was so many things to me. He was my dance partner, Ryan’s barber, the guy who sat next to me at t-ball games loudly saying how much better Ryan was than all the other kids, but most importantly a source of strength during a rough time in my life. He didn’t have to be but he just was. What a wonderful man. He was so important to so many people. I love you, Vern!!
Mike and Linda Cogswell
December 12, 2015 at 4:25 pmWe’ve known Vern only a few years but will surely miss our golf outings with Vern and Kathy, our deepest sympathies to his family.
Marty Seling
December 13, 2015 at 11:59 amSo many things I’m going to miss about Vern, way too many to list here. “A friend to all”; no truer words were ever spoken about him. Vern, though he had literally hundreds of friends, was able to treat all of us like we were his best friend. That’s special; rare; a genuine love for life and all of those in his life. I take comfort in the knowledge that I won’t have to miss that feeling because it will always be with me. Until we meet again my friend.
Kelley Vermetti
December 13, 2015 at 12:55 pmI have many fond memories of Vern and always will. He will be missed. RIP my friend…..
James and Angela Leonard
December 13, 2015 at 3:57 pmWe at The Mason Barber Shop feel fortunate to have known Vern, just wish he was with us longer. He was a great guy and always found a way to get someone, to bet on something.
Pat and Bob Miller
December 14, 2015 at 8:06 amSaturday, November 21st, 2015, 11 AM to 11 PM, while a foot of snow fell, Vern spent the day with Pat and me at our home in the country. We watched two football games (including the great beating of the Buckeyes by Vern’s beloved Spartans), reminisced about race horses we had owned together, ate lots of snacks including peanut butter brownies his daughter sent along with him, drank some “Not Your Dad’s Root Beer” he brought with him, made some side bets, which I guess I’ll now owe him for eternity. No I won’t, I’ll drop a check in his casket…Pat also fixed us a wonderful dinner of SOS which Vern had told me about from his youth and Army days. After shoveling the deep snow off our sidewalk, Vern made his way out of our lives but, not our memories…what fine memories of a dear old friend.
Jim Young
December 14, 2015 at 9:52 amVernie RIP my friend. Thank you for being you. Love you buddy. To all the old guys and the young guns, love you to.
Rod and Kathy Hunt
December 14, 2015 at 3:37 pmAll your friends at the Depot will miss you a lot. Rosie and family are in our thoughts and prayers. Love Rod and Kathy
The Brown family
December 14, 2015 at 3:51 pmOur condolences to the Sillman family. Vern, along with Gary, had been the barbers for 3 generations of the Brown family. Rest in peace our friend Vern, you were a great guy 🙂
Kathy Hurl
December 16, 2015 at 10:04 amRIP Vern. You and Steve can now catch up on the 6 1/2 years. Thanks for being his friend for all those 40 years!
Laurie Sillman (John)
December 16, 2015 at 11:04 amI LOVE, LOVE, LOVE all the Sillman Uncles and Aunts, they are all such great people and “character’s” every single one of them. We will all miss Vern very much!! It is hard to get my brain around that I won’t see him anymore at the Christmas parties, his presence will be sorely missed. I love you Uncle Vern very much and so does John and the kids!!!!! Our love to Dan and his family, to Kathy and all the families that loved him.
Bob Robertson
December 16, 2015 at 2:06 pmI met Vern in Dec 1978 when I just happened to pick the Logan Center Barber Shop out of the phone book because it was close to where I had just moved to in Lansing. I never went anywhere else for a haircut until Vern decided to go to Mason a couple years ago. Vern became more than just a barber who would tell me jokes. There was golf, fantasy football, poker games, and much more including just sitting around at “sipper time” enjoying a cold one in the back room after the shop closed. He was truly a good friend and will be missed very much.
Kathy Forquer
December 16, 2015 at 2:43 pmVern was my best frind and love of my life. I will miss him. He was a great family man & great people person. Thank’s to his family & friend’s for all your support.
John J. Young
December 17, 2015 at 12:53 pmI first met Vern when my dad started going there for his haircuts. At the time, I was too young to understand how cool that barbershop was and what an amazing guy Vern is. It wasn’t long before I learned what a gem we had in in Vern and the barbershop. I’m grateful I got to know him, thank you Vern for all the memories.
Monnie and Mary Dunn
December 17, 2015 at 8:00 pmKathy Sorry we were not able to make Vern’s Service. We both have many great memories from the Moose and the Eagles with both of you.