Sherry Cissell

EUREKA, Mo. — Sherry Seabaugh Cissell of Eureka — loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother — passed away Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, in Chesterfield, Missouri, at the age of 74 of complications from breast cancer.

Sherry was born March 31, 1949, in Cape Girardeau. Although an only child, she had many aunts, uncles and cousins. Sherry attended Cape Girardeau Central High School and Southeast Missouri State University before marrying her high school sweetheart, Mike Cissell, on Dec. 20, 1969. They moved to Nashville, Tennessee, and then Dallas, and had three children within five years. While Mike traveled frequently for work, Sherry made the day-to-day raising of children look easy, but we know it wasn't.

Sherry was a devoted mother, grandmother, wife, homemaker and caretaker. Her soft heart, paired with her fierce devotion to those she loved, made her a formidable advocate and caretaker. When her mother and husband were diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, she relentlessly researched and studied the disease to learn how to best prolong their quality of life.

She lived in seven cities across five states, settling in Chesterfield and Eureka for the past 37 years. Sherry was well-traveled, visiting five continents and nearly every state in the U.S. She was a passionate and lifelong St. Louis Cardinals baseball fan who enjoyed gardening; her dogs, Sarge and Kat; laughing with friends; and her favorite thing of all, hosting family gatherings.

Sherry was not easily categorized, which is what made her so uniquely beautiful. She was extroverted and reserved, fun-loving and introspective, conservative and liberal, natural and colorful, agreeable and stubborn and traditional yet occasionally rebellious.

She was a tough woman who bravely chose the most aggressive treatments to overcome her cancer diagnoses. She fought to the very end, never gave up and was thrilled to be sharing laughs with lifelong friend Patty in a recovery hospital before being reunited with her great love, Mike.

Sherry was a generous woman who will be deeply missed by friends, family and all who knew her.

Sherry is survived by her mother-in-law, LaFern Stiver; children, Chris Cissell, Tara Marvin and Ben Cissell; children-in-law, Heather Cissell, Cliff Marvin and Rhondi Cissell; grandchildren, Mitchell, Trevor, Zach, Sophie, Lincoln and Levi Cissell and Wyatt and Clara Marvin; great-grandchildren, Seamus and Lucy Cissell; stepsiblings, Skip and Shari Stiver; and her best friend of 35 years, Patty Sauer.

She was predeceased by her parents, Tom and Virginia Seabaugh, and husband of 50 years, Mike Cissell.

Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 12, at Ford and Sons Funeral Home, 1001 Mount Auburn Road in Cape Girardeau. Sherry's favorite color was royal blue, so you are invited to wear a shade of blue to fill the room with color.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Pink Ribbon Girls of St. Louis or Parkinson's Research, or condolences may be sent to LaFern Stiver at 2560 Meadow Lane, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701.

As a service of the Schrader Funeral Home and Crematory in Ballwin, Missouri, friends may sign the family's online guest book at www.Schrader.com.