Roselia Marie (Darby) Sisson

Roselia Darby Sisson passed away peacefully on Monday, April 16th, 2018, in the company of her

family. Beloved wife of Foster Davis Sisson (deceased, 2015), mother of Jeffrey Davis Sisson and

Terri Ellen Sisson, grandmother of Jennifer Rose St. Amour and Veronica Marie Sisson, sister of

Katherine Ann Darby Naber, sister-in-law of Ruth Sisson and Judy Sisson, mother-in-law, aunt and

cousin to many, she was dearly loved by all and will be greatly missed.

Born in Boonville, MO on April 20th, 1936, Roselia Marie Darby was the eldest daughter of Nadine

Leonard Darby and Romie Maxwell Darby. After graduating from Boonville High School she spent

the summer working at the grand Hotel Frederick on High Street, not far from where she lived. Her

youthful spirit and exotic beauty quickly captured the attention of her future husband, Foster Davis

Sisson, a young engineer from Boston, and they eloped later that year.

Roselia’s charm and quick wit, her insightful and intuitive understanding of people, and her joy in

living all flourished as she began a new life with her husband. While Foster’s career in engineering

took them to places as far flung as Minnesota, Israel, Jamaica, California, Hawaii, Pennsylvania,

Michigan and New York, she devoted her life to him and their two growing children. Everywhere

they lived, she created a lovely home that was filled with family dinners and conversation, music,

games, traditions, celebrations, and countless joyful memories.

Roselia enjoyed golf, swimming, bridge and exploring the cultures and cuisines of the places they

lived. A wonderful cook and hostess, she made the most amazing birthday cakes for her children,

and later her grandchildren. She also had an artistic talent for needlepoint and knitting, and created

beautiful stockings to be filled on Christmas mornings. In her later years she knitted everything

from gorgeous afghans to colorful sweaters, scarves, hats and socks, and donated many to charities.

But more than anything else, she loved spending time with her family and friends, sharing meals

and conversations, listening, learning and laughing. Her perceptiveness and sensitivity, intelligence

and empathy, and her understanding of the complexity of life made her a loyal confidante, a sage

counselor and a loving friend. Throughout her life she nurtured a multitude of enduring friendships

with people of all ages and leaves them with many cherished memories of her.

In the early 1990’s Roselia and Foster moved back to Boonville to enjoy their retirement years in

the small town where she grew up, and where they first met. They continued to travel for pleasure

and to visit their children, including trips to Kansas, Chicago, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico,

Washington, DC, Alaska, Vancouver, Montreal, the Dominican Republic, the Yucatan Peninsula,

Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York. But for the past 25 years, Boonville was their home.

There will be a service for family and friends at the Walnut Grove Cemetery in Boonville, MO on

Saturday, May 19th, 2018 at 11a.m. to celebrate Roselia’s rich life and legacy. Contributions may

be made in her name to the American Cancer Society or the Walnut Grove Cemetery.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Roselia Marie (Darby) Sisson, please visit our floral store.