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John M. Sisevich
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – John Sisevich entered into eternal rest on Dec. 9, 2019, from a yearlong battle with cancer.
John’s family roots started in Croatia as they made their journey to the United States. John was born in San Jose, California, the youngest of four children by the late John and Kate Sisevich. He married his high school sweetheart, Linda Utess, and they had their daughter, Michelle.
John's father, John Sisevich senior, moved the entire Sisevich family to Upper Lake and began farming Bartlett Pears. Tragically, John lost his beloved wife of nine years. Soon after, John met Rosalie Erickson, where he began his new blended family consisting of Mark, Michelle, Penny and Bruce. Together he and his new bride had two sons, Mathew and Michael, who began their new journey of life together for 54 years.
John’s livelihood consisted of growing premium choice Lake County Bartlett pears for 20-plus years. He developed a fire blight awareness and application service to local growers, for treatment and prevention of blight-related diseases in their crops. This led to being employed by Moyer Inc. and later Agro Tech as a PCA to pear growers in Lake County for 24 years. He transitioned from pears to Christmas trees, and built and ran the “Elk Mountain Christmas Tree Farm” for 30 years.
John’s great love was his Catholic faith and devotion to the Catholic Church in his community, consisting mainly of St. Mary’s and Queen of the Rosary in Lakeport.
His love for woodworking led him to contribute and donate his talents in making exquisite woodwork for the church, including a tabernacle, altar and numerous other pieces.
He volunteered each year, for many years, to do many things behind the scenes for the annual Passion Play, including mowing the entire area in preparation of the event with his tractor.
John was passionate in his interests and hobbies which included his great love for the outdoors. He was an avid fly fisherman where he loved to identify the aquatic hatch that was happening and then tie a fly that was perfect for the conditions. This was his delight and trophy, even more than catching the fish. He also loved shooting and gunsmithing, hunting and archery.
Other passions and pastimes of John’s were photography, gardening, woodworking, metalworking, farm label collector, writing poetry, illustration with pen and ink, colored pencil and water coloring.
One of his greatest loves was books. John would love to read excerpts and passages out loud to share his excitement and interests to all that would listen.
When he wasn’t doing any of these things, he was spending time in his barn, shop or going to estate sales – where he would find some treasure he couldn’t live without.
He always enjoyed a good joke, loved to laugh and was a good friend to have, being the kind of friend who was always there when you needed him. John was known for having the best family reunions where he would build a dam on his creek for swimming, played horseshoes and volleyball, and barbecued a pig over a pit.
John raised five children and enjoyed five grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. While his children were in school, John served on the board of trustees for both Upper Lake Grammar School and then Upper Lake High School, and was involved in the Booster Club.
He is survived by his wife, Rosalie; daughters, Michelle (Richard) Joly and Penny (Charles) Lombardo; sons, Bruce Sisevich and Michael Sisevich; grandchildren, Chas (Lauren) Lombardo, Kenneth Lombardo, Emily (Benjamin) Fox and John Lombardo; great-granddaughter, Sofia Lombardo; and numerous nieces and nephews.
John was preceded by his first born son, Matthew; Rosalie's son, Mark Erickson; grandson, Nicholas Eterovich, son of daughter Michelle. Also preceded by his parents, John and Kate Sisevich; brother, Peter; and sisters, Ann Kusalo and Helen Perusina.
Visitation will be held at Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary on Tuesday, Dec. 17, from 3 to 6 p.m. with Rosary at 6 p.m.
Funeral Mass will be held at St. Mary Immaculate Catholic Church in Lakeport on Wednesday, Dec. 18, at 11:30 a.m.
Grave committal will follow Mass at Upper Lake Cemetery.
Arrangements by Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary, 707-263-0357 or 707-994-5611, or visit www.chapelofthelakes.com.
