Sylvia Tester

After the passing of her husband 44 years ago, Sylvia Tester finally joined the love of her life, Ivan, in Heaven on August 12, 2020 after a tenacious six-year battle with cancer. Sylvia Faye Hughes was born on October 7, 1927 in Irving Township, IL to Edward Hughes and Ada Grace Oberle. She taught for one year at Hickory Grove School in Litchfield, IL before marrying Ivan Ernest Tester on Christmas Day in 1945. Sylvia and Ivan soon laid down roots and raised their family in Arizona, with a short interlude of several years in Minnesota. Behind her perfectly coiffed hair and manicured nails was a fiercely independent career woman and a loving mother. She began her career at Brown Shoe Co. and Sprouse-Reitz, later working in advertising and human resources for Bayless and Bashas for over 45 years, ultimately retiring at age 80. She loved her family most of all, serving as the matriarch of a blended family of grandchildren, step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren.

Sylvia is survived by one brother, Dale (Rosemary) Hughes of Litchfield, IL; children Gloria Libby of Portland, OR, Bruce (Judy) Tester of Glendale, AZ, and Carol (Odie) Skaggs of Peoria, AZ; grandchildren Tracie (George) Ross of Henry, NE, Amanda (Zach) Schlueter of Glendale, AZ, and Craig Tester of Glendale, AZ; and one great-grandson, Miles Schlueter. Sylvia was preceded in death by her husband, Ivan Tester, and siblings Rosetta Price, Edna Stoecker, Charles Hughes, and Jim Hughes.

Sylvia’s life will be celebrated at a private graveside service at Resthaven Park Cemetery.