Sherleene Funk Sissell

CHATHAM — Sherleene Sissell died Oct. 4, 2008, at her home after a brief illness. She was born on Oct. 15, 1935, in Elkins, W.Va., to Sherwood and Athleene Edwards Funk, a Methodist minister and a school teacher. Sherleene was married 49 years ago to the Rev. Dr. William Sissell.

After growing up in Covington, Ky., she graduated from Holmes High School. She went on to receive a Bachelor of Music degree in voice and organ from DePauw University, Greencastle, Ind., studying under Dr. Van Denman Thomas. She did graduate work at Scarritt College, Nashville, Tenn.; Duke University, Durham, N.C., and held an Associate at Law degree from the University of Massachusetts, Boston; and Master in Human Services degree from New Hampshire College.

In high school, she sang with the Cincinnati Summer Opera. She toured with a drama group from the DePauw Wesley Foundation in their performances of "Christ and the Concrete City" as both an actor and the musical director in the spring of 1957. Following marriage, she and her husband lived in Durham, N.C., where she was a soloist and assistant organist at Trinity Methodist Church. The couple moved to Boston in 1960, where she was soloist at the First Baptist Church of Cambridge.

After moving to Chatham in 1967, she served as substitute organist for numerous churches, and was, for eight years, choir director and assistant organist at the First United Methodist Church of Chatham. She also sang with the original Chatham Chorale, and served for several years on the faculty of the Cape Cod Conservatory of Music, and later ran her own voice and piano studio.

Sherleene was elected to the Chatham School Committee in 1971, serving for 12 years, her last nine years as chairwoman. In addition, she served on the Chatham Democratic Town Committee, for several years was a member of Ted Kennedy's "Breakfast Club," and was an early supporter of Gerry Studds.

In 1977, after receiving her Associate at Law degree, she worked for the Barnstable County First and Second Juvenile Courts as an investigator for Children in Need of Services and Child Protection cases. When the Massachusetts Department of Social Service was created, she was among the first to staff the new Cape Cod office. She initially worked as a case worker and later as supervisor of the intake department, first in Plymouth and later on the Cape. During her tenure on the Cape, she served as liaison to the Drug Task Force and criminal divisions of the state police and was well regarded by the sheriff's and local police departments for her knowledge of juvenile law and procedures regarding child protective issues. On her retirement, she received an award from the state police for her work with the Yarmouth barracks of the Massachusetts State Police. During her tenure at the Department of Social Services, she was a member of a team of law, judicial, and social work professionals chosen to develop a child advocacy and protective agency, The Children's Cove. After her retirement, she was elected to their advisory board. Sherleene considered her children, her work with the school committee, and her role in founding The Children's Cove to be among her proudest achievements.

In addition to her husband, she leaves a son, W. Earl Sissell, his wife Sonia Stamm, and two granddaughters, Elena and Margot, all of Media, Pa.; a daughter, Kara Leanne Sissell of Rockaway Beach, N.Y.; a brother, Bill Funk and his wife, Gayle, of Decatur, Ga.; as well as four nieces; four grandnieces, and a grandnephew. Sherleene was predeceased by a daughter, Palma Leigh.

Committal services will be private and a memorial service will be scheduled at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, Sherleene asked that donations be made to The Children's Cove Family Program, P.O. Box 427, Barnstable, MA 02630.

Nickerson Funeral Home

508-945-1166