[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_media_grid grid_id=”vc_gid:1513698084739-c4a8a245-3fca-2″][vc_single_image image=”15068″ img_size=”medium” add_caption=”yes” style=”vc_box_border” border_color=”black” css_animation=”fadeIn”][vc_single_image image=”16931″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][vc_column_text css_animation=”fadeIn”]EARL DEAN SISSEL, 1947-2017
BETHANY, MO: Earl “Dean” Sissel, 70, Bethany, MO passed away Saturday, December 16, 2017 at a Liberty, MO hospital.
He was born June 24, 1947 in Osceola, Iowa to Donald Osmer Sissel and Thelma Jean Wilson Sissel. He joined an older brother, Donnie and later a younger sister, Donna. His parents were divorced before Donna was born. Thelma later married Rex Miller and they had a son, Artie.
Dean attended Central Decatur Community School in Leon, Iowa and graduated in 1965. Shortly after graduation he enlisted in the United States Air Force. He served at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas, Guam, Okinawa, Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii, and Travis Air Force Base in California. He was an Air Freight Specialist and was honorably discharged as a Sergeant. His superiors had high praise with how Dean did his job usually arriving an hour early to acquaint himself with the work load and possible problems and would not hesitate to stay late to complete a job to his satisfaction. They said he was extremely conscientious with a maturity far beyond his years.
When Dean returned from the service he started working at Pittsburgh Steel in Des Moines, Iowa. He was a certified welder and overhead crane operator. In 1971 he applied and was accepted as a manager trainee for the P. M. Place Company. At this time he moved to Bethany, Missouri. Over the years Dean had many jobs that he dedicated himself to just as he had the Air Force. He worked at 69 Foodlane as a stockman and butcher, Hallett Construction as a scraper and bulldozer operator, Gum Drop Sports as the manager, and he started his own companies D’s Temporary Employment and Digger Dean’s Backhoe. Dean retired from Johnson Control after 22 years as a welder.
In 1969 Dean and another man were out joy riding in his 1962 Chevy Impala Gold Convertible he bought when he came home from the Air Force. They headed south from Indianola, Iowa and ended up in Bethany, Missouri. Two young, local girls were also joy riding and noticed this cool car with two boys in it, so they honked at them. The boys started following the girls but soon lost them because the girls knew their way around Bethany much better. Then the girls would go back and let the boys find them again. This went on all evening until they finally stopped to talk. This was the beginning of a 48 year marriage for Dean and Sarah Crabtree who were married on September 27, 1969. If it wasn’t for that cool car, Dean and Sarah would probably never met. They lived in Indianola the first year and moved to their home in Des Moines on their first anniversary. Dean used his GI load to buy their first home. When they returned to Bethany they rented a house for a few years, then moved to Sarah’s parents’ house on South 15th Street after her Daddy died. They lived there 20 years, then bought a 65 acre farm in 1989 in the Matkins community. They built their dream home in 1996 and lived there another 20 years. When their health started to fail and the farm upkeep was too much for Dean and Sarah they decided to move back to Bethany. They sold their farm and bought the house on South 23rd Street where they live now.
There have been a lot of highs and lows over the past 48 years but the love for each other was always there and became stronger every day. The end of September, Dean became ill and went to the doctor. They ordered some tests and discovered he had colon cancer. He was scheduled for surgery on December 7th at the Liberty Hospital. We all knew this was a risky surgery because of his weak heart and lungs, but the cancer would kill him if he didn’t have the surgery. The surgery went well and they were able to remove all the cancer. Unfortunately his heart and lungs were not strong enough to carry him through the recovery. Dean passed away December 16th just shortly after midnight.
Dean was preceded in death by his grandparents, Earl and Ollie Wilson and Osmer and Nora Sissel; his parents, Donald Sissel and Thelma Miller; step-fathers, Rex Miller, Fred Smith, and Kenneth Miller; brothers, Don Sissel, Artie Miller, and infant, Gary Lynn Sissel; sisters, Bonnie Sissel and infant, Janet Sue Miller; father and mother in-law, John and Mabel Crabtree; brother and sister-in-law’s, T. J. and June Snead and Don and Victoria Allen; and nephew, Tim Snead.
Dean is survived by his wife, Sarah; sisters, Donna (Ben) Pratt of Fredric, Michigan and Rita Teamer of Virginia Beach, Virginia; brother, Brian Sissel of Texas; step-mother, Rosanna Sissel of Texas; sister-in-law’s, Judy Sissel and Corky Floyd; and 16 nieces and nephews – Teresa, Terent & Janice, Terean, Tracy & Carol, Tommy & Anita, Terry Gene, Tony, Mike & Amy, Cliff, Dana & Eric, David, Daniel & Kristi, Doug & Nikki, Shawn & Rosie, Heather, and Angela & Mike; God Son, Joshua Smith; and dear friends Diane and John Monroe and Becky Turley, as well as many other family and friends.
Dean loved to joke and always had a story to tell. One of the comments on face book said Dean always brought a smile to her face with his wit and humor. Once he was telling jokes at a party and someone asked Sarah “how can you stand living with this funny man.” Sarah said “He isn’t always this funny.” He worked hard and was always ready to help anyone who needed him. He was an avid outdoorsman and hunter. He taught his nephews many things including how to properly butcher a deer. When Sarah was so sick he slept at the foot of her bed in case she needed help. He was always very attentive and took care of her every need. Dean will be missed by all who knew him but especially Sarah who depended on him and loved him so much.
Funeral Services with Military Rites will be held at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, December 21 at Roberson Funeral Home, Bethany, MO. Inurnment will be held at a later date in Miriam Cemetery, Bethany, MO. Masonic Rites will be held at 6:00 p.m. Wednesday with visitation following until 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to New Hope Baptist Church in care of Roberson Funeral Home, P.O. Box 46, Bethany, MO 64424. Online condolences may be left at www.robersonfuneralhome.com[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_icon icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-plus-circle” color=”juicy_pink” background_style=”boxed-outline” background_color=”white” size=”lg” align=”center” css_animation=”bounceIn” link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Fbethanyclipper.com%2Fsubscriptions%2F|title:Sign%20up%20for%20our%20digital%20subscription|target:%20_blank|” css=”.vc_custom_1510933313398{background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: contain !important;border-radius: 2px !important;}”][vc_wp_text]Click the button to subscribe to the digital edition.[/vc_wp_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_wp_text][vgpc id=”14984″][/vc_wp_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_facebook css_animation=”bounceIn” el_id=”https://www.facebook.com/republicanclipper” css=”.vc_custom_1502307671695{border-radius: 1px !important;}”][vc_tweetmeme type=”follow” follow_user=”bethanyclipper” show_followers_count=”true” css=”.vc_custom_1502307611134{border-radius: 1px !important;}”][vc_googleplus type=”small” css_animation=”bounceIn” el_id=”https://plus.google.com/u/0/” css=”.vc_custom_1502307536798{border-radius: 1px !important;}”][vc_pinterest el_id=”https://www.pinterest.com/bethanyrepublic/pins/” css=”.vc_custom_1502307747259{border-radius: 1px !important;}”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_wp_text][vgpc id=”15006″][/vc_wp_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]