Darlee Kay (Hammond) Sissel, age 85, passed away Monday, October 7th, 2024, in Rusk, TX surrounded by her family. Darlee was born on October 10, 1938, to Frank and Verna (Hamit) Hammond of Glade, KS.

Darlee grew up on the family farm outside of Glade with her younger sister Eloise. They enjoyed a life filled with good home cooking, strong work ethics, and Christian values. Darlee attended elementary school in Glade and graduated from Phillipsburg High in 1956. She attended one year of college at Washburn University. In 1957, Darlee married her true love, John Westley Sissel on June 23 in the Glade, KS United Methodist Church.

The couple had four devoted children: Jonette, Debra, Bradley, and Gregory. Their life adventures had them living in various states including Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Utah, and Arizona.

Darlee owned and operated a ceramic shop and became a certified ceramic instructor. Her pottery interest bloomed into a love of antiques and she acquired many quality pieces.

At the age of 40, Darlee returned to college at Utah Valley University. She graduated with honors and was named outstanding student in her Computer Programming Department.

Darlee always loved her garden and took great pride in her yard. She continued her educational endeavors and became a Master Gardener.

Darlee had a passion for the past. History was a favorite academic interest, but family genealogy was her legacy. She spent hundreds of hours researching family history, with 26,000 people in her data base, looking for dates, photos, documents, any kind of trail, and onto the next clue.

Darlee was a homemaker, enjoying most aspects of motherhood. She assisted with some extra activities that her children participated in including teaching Sunday School, being a Girl Scout leader, acting as a Cub Scout leader, and helping with various committees. She was a marvelous seamstress, sewing a lot of her children's clothing, as well as making baby blankets and beautiful quilts for family and friends.

Over the years, Darlee and John enjoyed traveling the United States seeking adventures, searching for pottery, and enjoying the local cuisine. She was fortunate to have traveled to 48 states and 5 countries. Darlee particularly enjoyed seeing the ocean. She was fortunate enough to do a cruise to the Panama Canal and travel with her sister, Eloise Slansky.

Darlee enjoyed spending time with her beloved pets, Candy and Foxy. Rosie, her pug, was particularly precious to her and helped her thru many trials. Some of Darlee's neighbors referred to her as "the cat lady" due to the number of cats that she cared for in the neighborhood.

Darlee's love language was food. She loved cooking extravagant meals at holidays, baking each visitors favorite sweet treat, and creating dozens of cookies for neighborhood friends to enjoy. Her pantry was always overflowing.

Darlee is survived by her daughters, Jonette Anderson (John) of Houston, TX and Debra Ketterling (Rance) of Gypsum, CO, and sons, Brad of Oronoco, MN and Greg (Evette) of Rusk, TX. She leaves behind six grandchildren, A.J. Ketterling, Callahan Ketterling, Andrew Sissel, Sabra (Kyle) Musselman, Wesley Sissel, and Meagan (Kyle) Smith. She was also blessed to have a great grandchild, Hudson Musselman, and other beloved family and friends. Darlee was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, her sister, and her son-in-law.

Memorial services will be held Saturday, November 16, 2024 10:30 am in the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, Phillipsburg KS. Services will be streamed live on the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel Facebook page. Inurnment will follow at the Phillipsburg Cemetery. A reception will follow the graveside inurnment at The First Christian Church in Phillipsburg. Everyone is welcome.

Memorial contributions for the Phillipsburg City Library c/o Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, PO Box 563, Phillipsburg, KS 67661.