Severo "Bill" Santillanes

Severo (Bill) Santillanes, longtime Pocatello resident, passed away on August 21, 2024, surrounded by family. Bill was born on March 6, 1933 in Lamar, Colorado, to Ignacio Santillanes and Francisca Silva Santillanes. Sadly, Bill’s mother died when he was only three years old. But with a strong father and two amazing older brothers, he grew up to be the great man he was, and he and his brothers formed an unbreakable bond. 

Bill's dad worked as a farm laborer, and he spent most of his childhood in Colorado, New Mexico, Oregon, Nebraska, and Idaho following the work. He picked up the name Bill from a farmer who could not pronounce Severo so the name just stuck. Bill served in the US Army during the Korean Conflict. He was stationed in Alaska with Hq Co: 2nd Bn 196th Inf Regiment Fort Richardson, Alaska and was a Signal Message Clerk. After being discharged from the Army, Bill returned to Nyssa, Oregon to start a new chapter. One night after a hard days work, and maybe too many drinks, he fell asleep on a bench near a restaurant. A beautiful young woman from Mexico who was working for her aunt at the restaurant, covered him in a serape. He returned the serape to the young lady and after a short courtship, knowing this was the one, married the love of his life, Maria Jurado, on November 3, 1956. This November would have been their 68th wedding anniversary. With little money and even less of a plan, Bill and his new bride stopped in Pocatello on their honeymoon trip. They decided to stay and start a family. 

Bill found work at the FMC phosphorus plant and worked there just over 40 years until he retired in 1998. They were blessed with three children, Jerry (Gerald), Andy (Andrew), and Mona (Monica), but then a fourth when their nephew J.R. (Raul) Apodaca came from Texas to live with them. Bill loved his grandchildren and was thrilled when the first-born grandchild, Cori, was born on his birthday. Bill and Maria have eleven grandchildren: Cori Santillanes Benart (Joey Benart), Whitney Santillanes Bach (David Bach), Chase Morgan (Jenny Rosa Morgan), Dustin Morgan, Nicholas Santillanes (Kaylee Jacobsen), Analissa Santillanes (Rodney Avila), Glory Santillanes Beckman (Nathan Beckman), Anthony Willard (Kristy Rodriguez Willard), Jeremy Willard (Leonisia Hawkins), Cody Apodaca, and Savannah Apodaca. They have 16 great-grandchildren, with the last boy named Severo (Ro) which put a tear in his eye and a smile on his face.

Bill loved pheasant hunting, tying flies, fishing, playing cards, dancing, casinos and in his retirement years he loved taking care of his grandkids; he was the master of grandpa jokes. He was so happy to have visitors and tell stories of growing up with his brothers Val and John. Bill and Maria loved having family and friends stop by and always had coffee and some sweet treats ready. Some card games and dominos went late into the night.

We love you Dad, Grandpa, Uncle. You will be missed.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents and his two brothers, Valentin Santillanes and John Santillanes, and his sister-in-law Elaine Gallegos Santillanes. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Maria, and his children, Jerry (Traci) Santillanes, Andrew Santillanes, Monica Santillanes, and Raul Apodaca Jr., all of Pocatello, his grandchildren, great-grandchildren, his sister-in-law, Josephine Santillanes, Boise, Idaho, and many nieces and nephews.

The family will meet with friends and relatives Thursday evening, August 29, 2024, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Colonial Funeral Home, 2005 S. 4th Ave, Pocatello. Funeral services with a Catholic mass will be held Friday, August 30, 2024 at 10 a.m. with a rosary preceding the mass at 9:30 a.m. at Holy Spirit Catholic Community Church (Saint Anthony), 524 N 7th Ave, Pocatello, ID 83201. Interment will follow at Mountain View Cemetery, 1520 S 5th Ave, Pocatello, ID 83205.

Memories and condolences may be shared using the guest book below.