David Murl Sisson

David Murl Sisson, 61, died Wednesday, March 29, 2017, at the Oregon State Veterans Home in The Dalles, Ore.

He was born Oct. 25, 1955, in Glasgow to John and Jacque Sisson. He graduated from Glasgow High School, where he excelled in athletics. He joined the army in 1975, becoming an Airborne Ranger, and functioned as morse code operator for John Abizaid and Greg Gardner. He was an adventurous spirit and his time in the Army helped fuel a lifetime passion for travel.

After his enlistment, he attended the University of Montana, MSU-Bozeman, and MSU-Billings, where he graduated with a bachelor of science in accounting. Other studies included history, mathematics, and Scandinavian studies. While at MSU-Billings, he met Gayle DeAngelis, whom he married in September 1984. He and Gayle and their sons, Carlo and Dino, welcomed another boy, Sean, into the world in March 1985.

The family moved to Portland, Ore., in 1987, and soon he began working at Hewlett Packard where he became a production manager in 1994. He was nicknamed "Super Q" by his friends at HP, as he was regarded as the "font of knowledge." He, Gayle, and Sean moved to Florence, Ore., in 1996. Gayle bought Grape Leaf, which became the family wine business, where David was known for his ability to discuss virtually any topic.

He was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in April 2013. Soon after the diagnosis, he returned to Florence to be cared for by his family. His capacity for love and adventure never diminished, even as his grasp on reality faded away. He will be remembered as a strong, brilliant, hardheaded, compassionate, competitive, caring man, who loved his friends and family.

A celebration of life was held at the Norse Hall in Portland from 12-6 p.m. on Saturday, April 15.