Sheila Marie Suggs

Sheila Marie Suggs, 61, departed this life on Friday, April 15th, 2016. She was born on August 1, 1954 in Freeport to Aaron Wesley and Gracie (Pruitt) Suggs. Sheila was spelling champion in Taylor Park Elementary School and a member of YWCA club. In High School, she was a member of the Freeport High School Tri II Choir and African American Club. She also supported high school sports serving as a statistician for the JV Baseball team and Pom Poms Sprit Member. She worked at Micro Switch for 36 years, JCPenney for 2 years and was the Administrative Assistant for the Equity Coordinator, at the Freeport School Board Office for 8 years. She also worked at the Boys and Girls Club of Freeport & Stephenson County for several years and served as the secretary for St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church for 2 years. She was an exceptional organizer and event planner, volunteering with the young, advocating for education, and serving as a member of CORE (Community Outreach Endeavor Committee). She volunteered at the Martin Luther King Center, establishing the Color of Success Girls Club in 1986. She was a coordinator of Ms. Black Freeport Teenage Pageant and recently the Secretary of Pretzel Black Alumni Organization. Sheila had an extensive list of hobbies including bowling, reading, sewing, listening to music, and roller skating at the Martin Luther King Center. She enjoyed traveling, meeting new people, being with her children, grandchildren and great grandchild, and visiting close classmates and friends, attending every class reunion since 1972. She leaves to cherish her memories a loving mother Gracie Suggs, two daughters; Monica Suggs-Guess of Freeport and Stacie Suggs of Lawndale, CA, three grandsons; Devareaux Allen, John and Xavier Guess all of Dubuque, IA, two granddaughters; Sheridan Suggs of Sycamore, IL and Vanessa Suggs of Freeport, one great-grandson; Jahkai Threadgill of Sycamore, IL, four sisters; Barbara Hilton, Matie Suggs (Robert Essix Jr.), Gwendolyn (Earl) Davis of Denver, CO and Patricia (Charles) McGowan of Westchester, IL, in addition to a host of nieces, nephews, uncles, aunts, cousins and an abundance of caring friends. Preceding her in death were her father, Aaron W. and brother, Aaron Clifton 'Clifford' Suggs. Funeral services will be 1:00 P.M. Saturday April 23, 2016 at St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church with Rev. Ricky Stidman officiating. Visitation will be 11:00 A.M. until the time of service at the church.