Diane Sadowsky Sisson

Diane was born in Chicago, IL to William and Eva Sadowsky on January 13, 1938. She graduated from Thomas Kelly High School, class of 1955 in Chicago. In 1956, Diane married John Charles Sisson and divorced in 1968. During the time they were married, she and John moved to Alabama, where they had three children together: James, William, and Teresa. After her divorce, Diane raised her 3 children as a single mom in Mobile.

Diane’s drive, tenacity, and passion for excellence were evident in everything she pursued. Her first job was with the Birmingham News where she was responsible for the annual Spelling Bee. When she moved to Mobile, she took a job as an entry level secretary with the Army Corp of Engineers. She moved up the ranks and discovered a passion for helping Women Owned and Disadvantaged Businesses compete for government contracts. In support of her career, she also worked to advance her education. Working full-time, she managed to earn a BBA degree in 1991 and a MBA in 1995. By the time she retired in 1997, she was serving as the interim Principal Assistant Responsible for Contracting for the Army Corp of Engineers which included an annual acquisition budget of $6 billion. She received numerous awards including the Meritorious Civilian Service Medal.

After retiring from the Corp, Diane continued to make significant contributions in the private and non-profit sectors. She served as a Regional VP for the National Board of Advisors of the National Contract Management Association. She was also a mentor and leader in SCORE, an organization that connects retired professionals with small business owners and entrepreneurs. She earned innumerable awards in recognition of her dedication to helping others succeed.

Diane is preceded in death by her parents William and Eva Sadowsky, her brother Daniel, her daughter Teresa, and her son William.

Diane is survived by her son James Sisson and his wife Donna as well as two grandchildren, Teresa’s son Josh and William’s son Patrick. She is also survived by Donna’s son and James’ stepson Jon Thompson. In her final years, Diane was embraced by Jon and Brianna Thompson and the four children, Kyla, Emma, Oliver and Harper Thompson as well.