Elizabeth A. Dison

ELIZABETH (BETSY) A DISON (SISK)

Elizabeth (Betsy) A. Dison (Sisk) peacefully passed away to her Lord and Savior on December 8, 2020.   She was Born to John Henry Neel and Annie Belle Neel on April 15, 1928 in Shawvers Mill, (Tazewell) VA and raised on a dairy farm with her 6 siblings.  Elizabeth married James R. Dison, Jr of Bristol, VA in 1947.  She supported Jim as he completed his education in Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering at Virginia Polytechnical Institute (Virginia Tech). They moved from Virginia to Brownsburg, IN in 1950 when Jim landed a position at Allison’s Division of General Motors and a few years later, moved to Pittsboro, IN where they raised and sold Christmas Trees for many years. In 1962, the family moved to Indianapolis, IN.  Betsy was a pioneer of Women’s Rights in her own right as a working mom in the 1960’s and a successful businesswoman. While in Pittsboro, she created her first entrepreneurial endeavor by raising and selling strawberries on the Christmas Tree Farm.  With the proceeds, she was able to put herself through college at Butler University achieving a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Education.

Betsy taught school for 40 years in the Indianapolis Public School System at Lew Wallace School 107 retiring in 2004. She was awarded the Sagamore of the Wabash in 1998 by Governor Frank O’Bannon for her contributions and achievements in the field of Education.  True to her rural roots, Betsy enjoyed gardening her entire life. For several years, she taught summer school in the IPS system so that children would learn the art of gardening whether it be flowers or vegetables. Up until the pandemic hit our country, Betsy continued to enjoy monthly luncheons with her longtime friends and colleagues from School 107 at the local MCL Cafeteria.

In the early 1970’s, Jim and Betsy began their second entrepreneurial endeavor by investing in residential real estate.  After his sudden passing in 1976, she continued with this venture and flourished in the business up until the time of her passing.

In 1977, Betsy married Fred C. Sisk. They enjoyed entertaining friends and family by holding annual holiday events.  Most notably, they would decorate the yard for Halloween and the fall season and have a wiener roast and bonfire for anyone of all ages to enjoy. During this event, they would gather around the piano and sing their favorite songs and hymns.  For many years they would also hold an Open House on Christmas Eve decorating the house inside and out.  They would embellish the property line with luminaries that would burn through the night for our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Betsy was known for her beautiful flower gardens. Each fall and winter, Betsy would plant hundreds and hundreds of tulip and daffodil bulbs which would bloom brilliantly during the Spring honoring the time of Easter. Over the years people would drive by the house to see the beauty and stop to comment and praise her for her gardening talents. She would always be sure that each holiday whether Easter, Valentine’s Day or the like was celebrated with elaborate yard decorations. Some of these decorations were made by her own hands through wood crafting.

She was a talented, self-taught pianist who enjoyed traveling with her friends to Nursing Homes on Sundays to bring live music to the residents. She also had a few gigs from time to time in local churches.

She was an active member of Bethel United Methodist Church. She was able to show off her talents in the culinary arts at the church as well as at home entertaining by creating leprechaun cakes, snowman cheeseballs, Rice Krispy turkeys and the list goes on an on.

Betsy was loved and known by all for her humor and dry wit. A loving and caring Mom and friend, she will be greatly missed by all who knew her.  We all know that she is now resting peacefully without pain and for that, we are thankful.

A special thank you from the family to the staff of Heartland Hospice and her private caregivers, Sherry, Tomeka and LaKisha and for the support of her friends at Bethel United Methodist.

Survivors include her daughter, Nancy Dison, and sons, William R. Dison (Jeanne) and Ronald L Dison (Linda). She enjoyed time with her Grandsons, Jonathan (Cherish) Dison and their 3 children, Emily, Sarah and Anna, Jeffrey Dison (Heather), Nathan Dison (Heather) and their two children, Charlotte and Thomas, Granddaughter, Heather Dison and her daughter, Danielle, and Granddaughter, Nicole Hermann. She is also survived by her twin sister, Nancy Heiberg (David) of Maryland and her brother Joseph K Neel of North Carolina and many nieces and nephews throughout the country.

She was also predeceased in life by her son, Dr. Dwight L Dison, siblings Helen Poffenbarger of Maryland, William Neel and Wayne Neel of Tazewell, VA and Fred Neel of Edgefield, South Carolina and her Great Granddaughter, Dakota.

Due to the current crisis of the pandemic in our country, Betsy requested a private burial for immediate family only as an attempt to ensure the safety of her family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in her name to the local Public Broadcasting Service (WFYI), Gleaners Food Bank, the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Disease or The Jewish Community Center program for Rock Steady Boxing.