Dale Francis Sisel

Dale Francis Sisel was born June 26, 1937 in Kewaunee, Wis., the second of Gordon Patrick and Laura Rubens Sisel's three children. Attended the University of Wisconsin at Madison. However, not being a big fan of school, Dale dropped out and joined the Air Force. He attended flight school and became a navigator and, later, attended Officer Training School. Dale was stationed at Westover Air Force Base in Chicopee, Mass. where he served as Air Force Attaché to the Coast Guard. While stationed at Westover, he met his future wife, Karen Wehr. After a brief courtship, they were married on Oct. 28, 1960. In 1963, Dale and Karen moved to Arlington, Texas. Dale retired from the Air Force in 1967, having reached the rank of Captain, and returned to school. He earned both bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Texas at Arlington. In 1969, Dale accepted a job as a financial analyst at R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. He, Karen and their two daughters, Beth and Paige, moved to Winston-Salem, N.C. Dale moved up the corporate ladder at RJR and, in 1989, was named president and CEO of R.J. Reynolds International. He continued in this position until his retirement in 1993. Though he spent many years in the corporate world, Dale's love of the outdoors never left him and, in 1993, he bought Sphinx Mountain Ranch in Cameron, Montana. Dale was preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Dianne and his brother-in-law, Bob Sell. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Karen; his daughters, Beth Agejew (Mike) and Paige Sipe; his six grandchildren, Michael, Mark and Emily Agejew and Will, Sarah and Zack Sipe; his sister, Pat Sell, several nieces and nephews, and many friends from around the world.