Charlene Berrett Sisson

The end of a lifetime is a complex moment, a mixture of sharp, sincere loss, with quiet joy at the beauty of days lived and shared with others. Our friend Charlene Lee Berrett Sisson left this world on Saturday, October 7, 2023, and we are now left humbled and poorer for her absence. She was 83, born in Washington D.C. on Friday, March 15, 1940.  She graduated from Northwestern High School in Hyattsville, MD in 1958. Soon after her graduation, she married David H. Sisson, also of Hyattsville, and took on the role of both mother and pastor’s wife, dedicating her talents to raising her children David Jr, Dale, and Deborah, while volunteering for her church community.

Charlene brought joy to others through her art, liveliness, and humor. She studied to be a clown, was known to her fans as “Bibble”, and loved showing kids how to make balloon animals. She was a self-taught crochet hobbyist and made many unique blankets for her kids and grandkids from photographs of their favorite characters. In 1996, she earned her bachelor's degree in arts education from the University of Maryland, with the goal of becoming an art teacher.

Charlene was fiercely stubborn and unwavering in her love for her family and friends. She was one of the group with her grandchildren, and the first to defend them should anyone say an unkind word. She always found ways to make us smile and made the world feel a little lighter with her many small kindnesses. She was known for making her signature dish, "Char's dish", a combination of tomatoes, sausage, green peppers, hominy, onion, garlic, celery, macaroni and shrimp. She would sometimes enter conversations with a cheerful “Hey, Jason!” even though none of us went by that name. She leaves behind a legacy of bravery and fearless devotion, of compassion and vitality, and we her family and friends carry those indelible imprints of her in our hearts. To know her is to love and be loved by her, and to carry those thoughts in such a time of sorrow is a precious gift. She will be missed by many.

Charlene is preceded in passing, by her parents, Carlyle Lee Berrett and Charlotte Helen (Backing) Berrett; her sisters, Carol Jean Berrett and June Lynn Soroka, and her first husband, David Henry Sisson, Sr.

She is survived by her children, David Henry Sisson, Jr. (Glenera "Peggy") of Havre de Grace, MD, Dale Arlene Quist (Bruce) of Chesapeake Beach, MD, and Deborah Ellen Rounds (Robert) of California, MD; her siblings, Robert Berrett of Hyattsville, MD and Miracle Destiny of Venice, FL; and 5 grandchildren, Harmonie Snow (John) of Lowell, MA, Chris Sisson of Havre de Grace, John Sisson (Erin) of Ellicott City, MD, TJ Sisson of Havre de Grace, MD, and Yvette Boles (Tillary) of Chicago, IL.

Allow us to celebrate her life by sharing with you our thoughts here in memoriam and we invite you in return to bring to us your stories and memories of this great lady. Together we will send a message of love to her in her place of rest, and let Charlene know she is forever at home in our hearts, that we will do our best to honor her spirit in our lives and we thank her always for being part of ours.

The memorial service will be on December 1,2023, 2 pm at Berwyn Presbyterian Church 6301 Greenbelt Road, College Park, MD 20740.  There will be a time for visiting with the family at 1:30pm.  Following the memorial service will be a reception to celebrate her life.  Please join us as we remember her wonderful life.

In lieu of flowers a memorial contribution can be made to Berwyn Presbyterian Woman for the Cents-Ability offering in her memory. This offering goes to organizations that provide support for the hungry and homeless. Please send donations to the Berwyn Presbyterian Woman for the Cents-Ability, 6301 Greenbelt Rd, College Park MD 20740