Anne Joan Sissom (nee MacDonald), age 75, passed away unexpectedly on January 24, 2021 surrounded by her family.
She was born on May 16, 1945 in Montreal, Quebec to Harold and Leah MacDonald. Some of her fondest memories from growing up in Quebec were excelling at ballet and becoming a member of a traveling ballet troop. Her ballet training took her to New York City, to train with the New York City Ballet. On January 24, 1984 she met the love her life. They married on August 9, 1985 and settled in Oregon, Wisconsin. She and her husband, Ken Sissom, acquired a dairy equipment company, which they ran together, quite successfully, for 25 years. In 2001, Anne and Ken fell in love with the Florida weather and purchased their first home in The Villages, Florida. Shortly thereafter, in 2002, Anne became a US citizen in order to gain dual citizenship. However, she never lost her love for her homeland, and she always kept in close contact to her aunts, uncles and cousins in Canada. In 2012, Anne and Ken sold their home in Wisconsin and moved to The Villages.
Anne was an eternal optimist and lived life to the fullest. She was an avid golfer, loved traveling, and cherished her family. She traveled all over the world, but some of her favorite places were Paris and New Zealand. She loved spending the evening playing marbles, and other board games, with her family and friends. Anne had a special knack for designing and decorating her home. She took special pride in her culinary abilities. She loved hosting dinner parties for friends and family where she showcased her creations. However, some of her most treasured moments were the ones she shared with her grandchildren.
She is survived by her loving husband of 36 years, Ken, her children, Suzanne Hann (nee Nelson), John (Sheila) Nelson, stepdaughter Stephanie Maalouf (nee Sissom); her wonderful grandchildren, Cooper, Bailey, Grant, Brooke and Devon.
There will be a visitation and celebration of Anne’s life on Friday, January 29th at Hiers-Baxley Life Event Center (3975 Wedgewood Lane, The Villages) from 11am – 1pm. This will be followed by a private ceremony at 1pm. Flowers may be sent to the funeral home, or in lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to Anne’s favorite charity, The Salvation Army.
