Alvin Everett Sisson

Alvin Everett Sisson, 85, of South Haven, Passed away Tuesday, January 17, 2017 at the Hanson Hospice Center in Saint Joseph Michigan. He was born August 25, 1931 to Cecil and Linda (Burnham) Sisson in South Haven. Alvin worked at Epworth, Lovejoy, and Duwell for many years before his retirement. Later he worked as a security guard at Palisades Nuclear Plant. He was a skilled carpenter who built the home where he lived & retired, doing the work himself. He was also a skilled handyman who regularly repair cars and watches.

Alvin was very protective of his time. ‘His time’ was the time when he wasn’t working, taking care of family or doing errands. His time was best spent in his garage, his private little work shop, where he piddled with this and that; fixing this or that. He puttered with his many well used lawn mowers. The mowers were in constant state of repairing, rebuilding or, in some cases, ‘recycling.’

He always seemed to have time to ‘drown’ a worm as he called it. And in his earlier years many an inland lakes ‘called’ him often and he went often too. Some days there were fish to be had, sometimes a lot of fish, and other days, none. That didn’t matter; he was fishing.

Alvin had an ever abiding love for rabbits. He especially liked those wild Cotton Tails that seem in endless supply flooding Michigan fields. He loved rabbits the most on the stove quietly simmering away on a cold winter afternoon.

Ma would ask, “Rabbit for supper?”

Alvin would look up for his ever present, dog eared western paper back and say, “I guess.”

And so it was.

On gloomy winter days a favorite past time was reading. Some of his favorite authors were Louis L’Amour, Luke Short and Zane Gray. Their books were scattered around the house. Didn’t matter to him if he had read them once or twenty times, they were still good.

Country western music was a favorite of his too. Not the modern ‘rock a billy’ stuff but the older, more nostalgic variety. To the end he loved Johnny Cash’s “I walk the line.” But Hank Williams senior was OK, too, along with Slim Whitman, Gene Autry and the rest who never seem to go out of style with the folks.  As for other music he would say he could take it or leave but mostly leave it.

He is preceded in death by his parents and Irene, his loving wife of 40 years. He is also preceded in death by his siblings; Ellen Rohn, Norman, Ward, Juanita McCune, Marion Harris, Cecil, Naida  Wycoff.

Alvin is also survived by James his last surviving sibling,  his children; Cecil and Cecilia (Crawford) Sisson of Liberty, Missouri; Micheal and Marian (Long) of South Haven; Eric and Irene (Sisson) McQueen of South Haven. Alvin is survived by five grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held sometime in the Spring. Alvin will be laid to rest a Lakeview Cemetery in South Haven, MI next to his beloved wife, Irene.