Dale L. Sisley

Memorial Services will be held on Saturday, December 19, 2009 at 1:00 pm for Dale Lee Sisley, 74, who passed away peacefully at home on December 11, 2009. Reverend Steve Horn, Pastor of First Baptist Church of Lafayette, will conduct the services. Graveside services will take place on Tuesday, December 22, 2009 at South Lawn Cemetery in Coshocton, Ohio. Dale, a resident of Carencro, LA, was born on December 16, 1934 in Roscoe, Ohio to Brice and Helen Sisley. He received a BA in Education from Muskingum College and went on to coach and teach at Mt. Gilead High School. Dale served in the US Navy as a jet carrier pilot from 1958-1965. Always an entrepreneur, Dale owned and operated a variety of businesses including Longhorn Air Service, Sisley's Child Care Centers, Dale Sisley Real Estate, Black Mountain Ranch, and Sylvan Learning Centers. He was involved in many civic and community organizations. He served as a board member of: Louisiana Department of Unemployment Compensation, Louisiana State Child Development Task Force, Five State Regional Task Force on Children and Youth, Private Industry Council for the Job Training Partnership Act for Lafayette Parish, Citizens of District 'A', Faith House and the Chamber of Commerce. His other significant accomplishments include his being a delegate from Louisiana to the 1986 White House Conference on Small Business as well as his designation as an honorary State Representative and honorary Senator of the State of Louisiana. After 30 years of service Dale retired from the U.S. Navy as a Naval Aviator Captain in 1990. He was a Lifetime member of the Naval Reserve Association, the Association of Naval Aviators, American Legion and Skyhawk Association. He accumulated 3300 hours as a Navy Jet Attack Pilot and he accumulated 413 Jet carrier landings aboard the USS Enterprise and USS Intrepid. Dale was an instructor of "Special Weapons" delivery and Jet Instruments. He had a distinguished military career which included: service aboard the USS Intrepid, Enterprise, and Independence; as Commanding Officer on the staff of two Admirals; actively stood by awaiting orders to launch during the Cuban Missile Crisis; and also participated in major joint US/Korean exercises in Seoul, Korea. He also accumulated another 4000 hours as a commercial civilian pilot. He is survived by his beloved wife of 54 years, Nancy Cantwell Sisley of Carencro; five daughters: Debbie Sisley Abraham and her husband, Marc, of Orange Park, FL.; Kim Sisley and her fianc', Brian Sullivan of Lafayette, LA., Ann Sisley Wirth and her husband, John, of Lafayette, LA., Christy Sisley Sharon and her husband, Troy, of Carencro, LA.; and Mary Sisley Butler and her husband, Steve, of New Brunswick, Canada; twelve grandchildren: Cody Abraham and his wife, Vali, Alexis Abraham Spahn and husband, James, and Dani Abraham of Orange Park, FL.; Ramsey LeBlanc of Lafayette, LA., and Jordan LeBlanc of Baton Rouge, LA.; Brittany Wirth of Mississippi, Brandi Wirth and Bailey Wirth of Lafayette, LA.; Grace Sharon and Hudson Sharon of Carencro, LA., and Blake Butler and Hayden Butler of New Brunswick, Canada; and six great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; and one brother, Dwight Sisley. Pallbearers will be Cody Abraham, Ramsey LeBlanc, Blake Butler, Hayden Butler, Charlie Buckles, Gene Cope, Capt. Mike Schloz, USNR Retired, Capt. John Tate, USNR Retired, and Gerald Thibodeaux. Honorary Pallbearers will be Hudson Sharon and Capt. James A. Mulligan, Jr., USNR Retired. The family request that visiting hours be observed on Saturday from 12:00 pm until service time at 1:00 pm at First Baptist Church of Lafayette. Personal condolences may be sent to the Sisley family at www.delhommefuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the First Baptist Church Children's Ministry.

Dale L. Sisley

December 16, 1934 - December 11, 2009