Deanna Fay Greahouse

Deanna Fay Greathouse was born in Owensboro, Kentucky on September 30th, 1947 to JL and Rosie Greathouse, just two years after WWII ended.  Fay grew up in Owensboro during the 50’s as the U.S. was still recovering from the war.  Her family did not have much money, and as the oldest daughter of ten children, she was a natural born leader and had a lot of responsibility caring for her younger siblings.

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In elementary, she attended Catholic school, later attended Owensboro High School.  She endured the prejudice of her classmates as she and her siblings were an ethnically mixed family.  Despite hardships, Fay recounted many fond memories growing up in Kentucky, like getting into mischief with her dear cousin Doris and how much fun she always had when visiting her Aunt Evelyn.

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At the age of seventeen, her parents and horde of siblings made their way from Kentucky down to Louisiana to embark on a month-long journey aboard the Blue Dolphin to the Philippines, where her mother Rosie grew up. 

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Just like her father JL had met her mother Rosie during his time serving in the U.S Army during WWII while stationed in the Philippines, Fay also met her future husband Robert Silos Jr. who was working onboard the ship as a lowly ship hand.  He got in a lot of trouble trying to talk to the pretty young daughter of the family who were special guests of the captain of the ship, but they fell in love nonetheless.

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Fay and Robert married in the Philippines.  Shortly after, the two newlyweds followed Fay’s family who had months earlier sailed back to California where Robert found work and they started a family of their own.  They had four children together: DeAnna Fay, Denise Sheri, Denise Marie, and Robert Jesus, but were later divorced in 1975.  Sometime later, Fay remarried to William Reisland and had two daughters Analisa and Vanessa.

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Fay was always a hard worker, and the task of helping others followed her throughout her life.  She was often the go-to person— anything and everything anyone needed, they went to her because she was trustworthy and always willing to help.  As a daughter, her parents turned to her to help with her younger siblings.  Fay, even putting stress on her marriage, would take in her siblings when needed.  As a wife, she was a breadwinner alongside her husband.  As a sister, she was a confidant to her siblings and a source of support when they encountered life’s challenges.  As a mother, she worked multiple jobs to help keep food on the table, pay the bills, and put a roof over her kids’ heads.  Fay was the rock of the family, even in her later years as a grandmother.  She loved her grandchildren and was willing to serve in every capacity, loving and caring, often stepping up to help raise her grandchildren. Whenever her children needed her support, she was there for them.  

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Whatever task, event or expectation was set before her, Fay exceeded far and beyond. Whatever it was that Fay was doing, she put her all into it.  Over the years she worked for Sarah Coventry, Christmas Around the World, Tupperware, Princess House, Mary Kay, and Melaleuca just to name a few—often earning top saleswoman.  She became a Facilities Supervisor while working at Racal Vadic, tech company in the 90’s and was a manager for a large apartment complex.

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She was a skilled crotchetier, a cunning garage sale negotiator, a fun softball coach, and a clever handywoman. Toward the end of her life, she was a proficient escape artist and a favorite of the local police, whom she enjoyed playing hide and seek with and whom she successfully evaded on a few occasions.  Fay was a jack of all trades.  At any given moment, she could be found kicking everyone’s ass at bowling with her 16 lb. ball, in the center of the dancefloor busting a move, working diligently on her family genealogy, patching holes up on rooftops, sneaking into the kitchen for another piece of chocolate, or lovingly tending to her grandbabies.

Fay was a fighter and a survivor.  Despite all the odds stacked against her throughout every phase of her life, she fought her way through every hardship armed with a great sense of humor and unshakeable determination. 

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In 2015, at the age of sixty-seven, Fay underwent bypass surgery after suffering a heart attack.  Much to the shock of her doctors, she was walking the very next day.  Shortly after, still at the hospital, under the doctor’s care, Fay endured a severe stroke that they literally revive her from the dead, to the utter dismay of the doctors, Fay was sitting up the next day.  She did what she always had—she fought and survived.  After such an ordeal, the doctors doubted Fay would make any kind of recovery, but she was release from the hospital one week later.  We were amazed how she was able to relearn how to walk, talk, and accomplish basic functions like how to use a fork and comb her hair.

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The Fay we all knew and loved was changed by the stroked she suffered, but even when she could no longer recognize us or speak her mind, she was still full of love and levity.  Fay always remembered her love for her family, never forgot how to dance, became more empathetic than ever, and even with her limited ability to communicate, she was able to make everyone laugh with her clever quips.  

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Spunky, determined, and above all else, caring, DeAnna Fay Greathouse will always be remembered as the life of the party, the rock of the family, and forever revered as the esteemed matriarch that she was.

 

2 Corinthians 5:8 says, “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” We take great comfort in knowing Fay is with God our Father the Lord Jesus Christ in heaven, restored and fully healed, and we are so grateful for the time we had with her here on this earth.

 

Fay heard the gospel at a Baptist church while visiting her Aunt Evelyn and accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior.  On Mother’s Day in 2001 she rededicated her life to Christ.  In her last years she enjoyed attending church with us here in Hawaii.

 

Fay enjoyed a wonderful Christmas day celebrating the birth of Jesus, she sang songs, read scriptures, opened presents, had lots of laughs, ate tons of food, and played games.  Interestingly, she asked for her mom five times.  That evening, she watched, “It’s a Wonderful Life.”  It was neat to hear her sing, “Hark the herald sing, glory to the new born King.” 

 

As always, she went to bed at 8:00, and as I covered her up, I asked her, “You remember Jesus?”, she said, “Yes.”  Those were our last words.  Sometime that night or early the next morning she stepped into eternity to be with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

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Heavenly Father,

We commend Deanna Fay Greathouse, our beloved mother, grandmother, sister, friend to your wonderful care and holy kingdom. Thank you for healing her and restoring her now that she is with You in heaven. Please comfort us in our grief, be the strength of our hearts and our portion forever. Your Word says ‘Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.’ Thank you for being our refuge and our Redeemer, for preparing a place in heaven for us.. Thank you, Lord Jesus for your lovingkindness and for your peace that passes all understanding.

In Jesus name, Amen