Leighton Sissom

COOKEVILLE Dr. Leighton E. Sissom Funeral services for Dr. Leighton Esten Sissom, age 85 of Cookeville will be held Saturday, August 22 at 11:00 a.m at Jefferson Avenue Church of Christ with Denny Sissom and John Mason officiating. Private entombment will follow in Crest Lawn Cemetery. The family will receive friends Friday from 4pm until 8pm and Saturday from 10am until service time at Jefferson Avenue Church of Christ. Dr. Sissom died Wednesday morning August 19, 2020 at his home. Due to COVID 19 precautions, social distancing measures will be in place. The family respectfully asks that all visitors wear facecoverings. Dr. Sissom was born Sunday, August 26, 1934 in an old farm house in the Pocahontas Community of Coffee County, Tennessee to the late Willie Esten and Bertha Sarah (Davis) Sissom. He worked in his early years tending animals, milking cows, and farming the home place and many other surrounding fields. In addition to his work on the farm, he worked in construction as a carpenter, plasterer, and painter, when not in school. He had three careers, five years in industry, 30 years in academe and 25 years as a consulting engineer. A registered professional engineer, Dr. Sissom held four degrees, including a B.S.M.E. from Tennessee Tech and M.S.M.E and Ph.D from Georgia Tech. At TTU, Dr. Sissom quickly rose to the rank of Professor and was installed as Chairman of the Department. In 1979, Dr. Sissom was selected to assume the responsibilities of Dean of the College of Engineering. During his tenure as Dean, Dr. Sissom continued the enhancement of the College's reputation for excellence and soon had TTU's College of Engineering recognized both nationally and internationally. He was a Fellow of the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET) the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), and the National Academy of Forensic Engineers (NAFE). A tireless worker, his professional work included service on the governing boards of ASEE, ASME, ABET, JETS, Tau Beta Pi and the Order of the Engineer. He received several awards for his contributions to engineering education including: the 1988 ASEE Donald E. Marlowe Award, a national 1993 ASEE Centennial Medallion, and a national 1994 ASEE W. Leighton Collins Award. International awards included the 1989 American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) Scrivener Award and the 1994 UPADI Gold Vector Award from the Panamerican Federation of Engineering Societies. He also received a 2001 Engineer of Distinction Award from TTU for his outstanding service to the engineering profession. A registered Professional Engineer and Certified Diplomat Forensic Engineer, Dr. Sissom served as a consultant to over 700 clients in 40 states and 11 foreign countries. He evaluated engineering programs in 92 U.S. universities and 23 foreign countries. He served as an expert witness in over 200 legal matters. He authored over 100 papers, over 2000 proprietary reports, and co-authored four books. He was a contributor to the Encyclopedia Britannica and the Wiley Encyclopedia of Electrical and Electronics Engineering. Dr. Sissom was active in the Church of Christ since becoming a Christian at the age of 12. He taught Bible classes at all levels, served as deacon for 14 years and elder for 36 years at Jefferson Avenue Church of Christ. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Dwight Sissom. He is survived by his high school sweetheart and wife of 66 years, Evelyn Lee Sissom (whom he married June 13, 1954); two sons, Terry L. (Ann) Sissom of Gordonsville, and Denny L. (Shelley) Sissom of Huntsville, AL; a daughter, Cindy (Robert) Ashcraft of Chicago; a brother, Ray Sissom of Nashville, and a sister, Donna (Paul) Alexander of Smyrna; five grandchildren, Daniel (Jenna) Sissom, Nathan Sissom, Caitlin Ashcraft, Brian Saunders and Kristin Rosson; and great-granddaughters, Evelyn "Evee" Sissom and Emily Rosson. The family suggests memorial contributions be made to Jefferson Avenue Church of Christ, 521 S. Jefferson Avenue, Cookeville, TN 38501, Upper Cumberland Christian Homes, 790 State Street, Cookeville, TN 38501, Happy Haven Home for Children, 2311 Wakefield Drive, Cookeville, TN 38501 or TTU College of Engineering, c/o TTU Foundation P.O. Box 1915, Cookeville, TN 38505. You may share condolences online at hhhfunerals.com Hooper-Huddleston & Horner Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.