Elbert Richard Sisson was christened Richard Elbert Sisson, but his grandmother, Mrs. Elbert Sisson, "was a stubborn lady who insisted upon calling him by his middle name, Elbert, and eventually it stuck." He is godfather to his niece Maureen, daughter of his sister Margaret. Maureen reports that as of 4 March 1999 he is recovering from surgery. At one point he "traveled to England and visited our Sisson relatives and homestead. According to the distant Sisson cousins, he had the family facial characteristics."
Maura sent his obituary:
Elbert R. ("Bert") Sisson died peacefully early on the morning of Wednesday, June 14th at the age of 84 at the home of Liz and Ted Talley in Rison. Mr. Sisson's health had been failing for some time and he spent his last days with his wife Janice M. ("Jan" ) Talley at her parents' home. Married in 1992, Mr. Sisson and Ms. Talley had recently relocated to Potomac Heights, Maryland, having previously resided in the house near Strawberry Hills Estates on the Marshall Hall Road in Charles County, Maryland, where Mr. Sisson had lived since February of 1948 and raised ten children with his first wife, the former Lucile ("Chia") Donahue of Lower Peachtree, Monroe County, Alabama, who predeceased him in 1991. Mr. Sisson was born on March 19th of 1916 in Whitesboro, New York, a suburb of Utica, the third child and eldest son of Grace Gertrude (McCormick), a former school teacher, suffragette and life-long political activist (b.1886-d.1958), and Frederick James Sisson (b.1879-d.1949), a former school principal, attorney and life long politician and activist who was elected and served two terms representing the 33rd Congressional District of New York State as a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives between 1933 to 1937.
Mr. Sisson graduated in the class of 1938 from Oberlin College in Ohio, receiving a Bachelor degree in history. He served briefly as a Congressional intern on Capitol Hill, enlisted in the Army during
World War II and was honorably discharged in 1945 with the rank of Sergeant. He then entered civilian Federal service, retiring from the U.S. Department of Labor as a senior personnel classification specialist in 1972. He was active in employee union activities throughout his Federal career and active in many political and charitable causes throughout his life. He authored the book "Americans Against Man" (New York and Cleveland: Corpus Books, 1970) taking issue with America's role in the Viet Nam conflict, under the pen name Rory McCormick. He ran for Charles County Commissioner in 1974, withdrawing from the race
when his wife developed a serious health problem. He gardened, authored freelance book reviews and articles and spent three years writing and reporting for a county newspaper. He home tutored, volunteered
services and made donations supporting various charities, political causes, and human rights issues. He belonged to various organizations such as the NAACP and Amnesty International.
Mr. Sisson became well known in the Charles County community for his political activism and outspoken, heartfelt liberal Democratic stance on many issues. He traveled, participated in elderhostels, read,
wrote letters to the editor addressing various matters that concerned him, folk-danced and enjoyed family and friends.
In addition to Ms. Talley, Mr. Sisson is survived by his brother, John M. Sisson of St. Paul, Minnesota and by nine of his ten children and their spouses: Richard E. and Mary Beth (Rosa) Sisson of Irvington, Virginia; Bridget L. Sisson and Oren Swain of Arlington, Virginia; Maura A. Sisson and Richard Hess of Accokeek, Maryland; James L. and Nancy (Reynolds) Sisson of White Plains, Maryland; Frederick J. and
Dinorah (Youso) Sisson of Bowie, Maryland; Clare S(isson) and Theodore H. Barrow of LaJolla, California; Grace S(isson) Griffith; Michael J. and Patricia (Bartleson) Sisson of Norfolk, Virginia; and Joseph J. Sisson of Fairfax, Virginia . His other son, Mark J. Sisson, died last March after a long and brave battle against pancreatic cancer. Mr. Sisson is also survived by seven grandchildren: Francis E., Caitlin E.,
Christine C., Jamie D. and Molly A. Sisson; Jane H. and Thomas D. Barrow; and Catherine J. Gatewood-Hess; as well as various nephews, nieces and their offspring; and by Paul McCormick of Newark, Delaware, Mr.
Sisson's first cousin, friend and playmate from childhood. Mr. McCormick visited with Mr. Sisson last month after recently having resumed correspondence following a separation of many years.
Note: Mr. Sisson has told various family members over the years that he had been christened "Richard Elbert" at birth but his maternal grandmother Emily (York), Mrs. Elbert Alanson Sisson, was determined
that he be "Elbert Richard" and so he remained.
