Sunset Funeral Home

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Anita P. Siscel

August 16, 1935 - March 26, 2023

Condolences(3)

  1. REPLY
    Lisa Glahn says

    I enjoyed your mother so much when I was working at West River. Thank you for the opportunity to love her!

  2. REPLY
    Judy says

    I met Anita at SWIRCA many years ago. Sorry to read of her passing and condolences to her family and friends. Sounds like she had a full and wonderful life. Rest in peace. See ya on the other side.

  3. REPLY
    Berths Bolin says

    So sorry for your loss. Prayers and hugs to all the family. Remember well the trip to St Louis. I spent many happy teenage hours having fun with Anita. We double dated to several high school dances. Loved the Siscel family and Polk family. Blessings with love.

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Anita Patricia (Polk) Siscel, 87, went home to be with the Lord on March 26, 2023. She was born on August 16, 1935, to Bertram and Beulah (Frank) Polk in St. Louis, Missouri.  Her family moved to Evansville, Indiana when she was 4 years old.

Anita attended Culver Elementary School and graduated from F.J. Reitz High School in 1953. Anita held many jobs during her lifetime – the Grand Theatre, Old National Bank, State Farm Insurance, Stephen Libs Candy, and her most recent employer before her retirement in the late 90s, PPG Industries, where she worked for 13 years.

Anita was a longtime member of St. Matthews Community Church near her home on Evansville’s northside.  She had a strong faith and was extremely involved with her church, helping with Youth Fellowship, Girls Athletic Association, Vacation Bible School, making candy for the Fall Festival, volunteering at the food bank, and teaching Sunday School. Outside church, Anita was an avid bowler, artist, painter, and general crafter.  She volunteered with the River City Clowns as “Pokeannie” the clown, making balloon animals and bringing smiles to children’s faces.  In her younger years, she enjoyed all kinds of sports:  volleyball, baseball, basketball, and helping to coach her children’s sports teams.  Anita was quick to tell you how she used to “play basketball with the boys in the neighborhood” (and was evidently pretty good)!  Another favorite story she loved to tell was how she and her high school girlfriends would board a train in Evansville and travel to St. Louis to visit her grandparents for the weekend.  She had such fond memories of those trips.

Anita was a huge St. Louis Cardinals fan, never missing a televised game.  And for years, she could be found every evening watching Jeopardy.  She was amazed a few years ago when her granddaughter introduced her to binge-watching Jeopardy on Netflix!

In her “golden years”, she continued to paint and draw, spent a lot of time with her friends as SWIRCA (eating, playing bingo, exercising, etc.), participated in monthly outings with “the Harwood Group”, enjoyed travel (Canada, Niagara Falls, St. Louis, Disney World, and Indiana Beach among others), doing crossword puzzles, reading a good novel, or watching TV with her dog Scooby on her lap.  She was an avid reader and history buff.

Family was of utmost importance to Anita. She was very involved in the lives of her children, her grandchildren, and her great-grandchildren.  She was blessed to have 3 of her 5 siblings living nearby and was able to spend a lot of time with them.  She looked forward to a birthday outing with her son each year at Ellis Park and evenings of playing boardgames with her daughter’s family on holidays.  She had a zest for life and all it had to offer. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

Anita is survived by her children Don (Monie) Siscel and Rebecca Siscel; grandchildren Crystal (Christopher Albertson) Siscel, Tara (Brandon) Arnold, Broc Serrett, Brandon (Taylor) Siscel, Alexander Serrett, and Morgan Whitehead; great-grandchildren Madison, Landyn, Evalynn, Aneyssa and Emery; siblings Marcia Nolan, Carol Ann (Charlie Bill) Gustafson, Mike Polk, Kathy (Dennis) Brooks, David (Lisa) Polk; her dog Scooby; many nieces, nephews, and extended family.

Anita was preceded in death by her parents, a brother-in-law J.C. Nolan, a sister-in-law Jo Ann Polk, and a nephew Jimmy Polk.

The family wishes to extend their gratitude to the many wonderful caregivers who took care of Anita over the past several years, particularly Donna,  Diane, Chris, West River Legacy staff, and Heart to Heart Hospice Care.

Friends may visit with the family from 4:00 until 7:00 PM on Wednesday, March 29th at Sunset Funeral Home, 1800 St. George Rd and from 9:00 AM until service time on Thursday, March 30th.  Her service will begin at 10:00 AM with Pastor Tim Judd officiating.  Burial in Sunset Memorial Park will immediately follow the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to SWIRCA Senior Citizen Center, 16 W Virginia St., Evansville, IN 47710 or to St. Matthew’s Community Church, 3007 First Ave., Evansville, IN  47710.