Former Leiter's Ford resident, Mr. Dan Cissna, 74, was surrounded by his loving family when he passed away at 3:30 a.m. on March 29, 2014 at Hickory Creek of Winamac. This ended his valiant 30 year battle with multiple sclerosis. Born on December 5, 1939 near Evansville, Dan Michael was the treasured son of Waldo Emerson and Geneva Spradley Cissna. Growing up he shared his childhood with a sister Linda. Following high school he attended Purdue University and graduated with a degree in highway construction technology. On September 13, 1959 in Chandler, Dan married the love of his life, Alpha Rose Jones Cissna, who later became his best friend. Together they shared over 54 years of life's adventures while raising four wonderful children: 2 daughters, Lisa and Patty, and two sons, Mike and John. Over the years the family tree continued to grow with the added blessings of nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Employing the use of his degree, Dan began work for Mr. Edwin Boswell at McMahon-O'Connor Construction Company in 1968. He remained with the company transitioning to E & B Paving during 1992, then retiring in 1999 after 31 years of dedicated service. His fellow employees remembered Dan as possessing a strong work ethic, being the first one on the jobsite and the last one to leave. During the three decades he served as construction superintendent, Dan helped to change the face of land and air transportation around northern and central Indiana. Dan, with great pride, oversaw the construction of US 31 four lane highway from South Bend to Indianapolis, the improvement of US 6 near Bremen, Grissom Air Force Base near Peru/Bunker Hill, I- 465 easing travel around Indianapolis, the Indianapolis International - Weir Cook Airport expansion and improvements and other numerous projects throughout the State of Indiana. During the Indianapolis International Airport project he was recognized for Outstanding Achievement Award for Excellence in Concrete Paving presented by The Indiana Chapter of the American Concrete Pavement Association. A man of Christian faith, Dan was a member of the Sovereign Grace Baptist Church in Culver. He was also a member of the Masonic Lodge in Lebanon. In Dan's early years, he enjoyed the game of golf. As an armchair quarterback he followed the football teams of Purdue, the Bears and the Colts. Of course being a Purdue alumnus he cheered passionately for all Purdue sports teams---Boiler up! Seated at his computer Dan would communicate with family and special friends via Skype, email and Facebook. More recently he was known to be excellent at playing his BINGO cards. As the patriarch of the Cissna family overseeing four generations, Dan cherished the holidays and special family celebrations. Times spent with his legacy, the grandchildren and now the great-grandchildren were moments that lit up his life. Dan was highly interested in genealogy and spent much time at the computer as well as traveling to Pennsylvania and other locations in the east to research and track down his family's roots. Left to cherish Dan's memory are his loving wife Alpha Rose, at home; two daughters: Lisa Evers of Logansport and her children Dan and Courtney Estes, Kristine and Jon Rockey, Matt and Ana Evers, and Erick Novak; daughter Patty Caruana and husband Dave of Rockford, IL and their children Dante, Christopher and Emily Caruana; a son Mike Cissna and wife Michelle of Plymouth and their children Kathleen and Michael Aman, and Stephanie and Kyle Hilliard; six great-grandchildren: Carson, Chloe, Zoe, Eli, Liam and Nolan; a sister Linda Rakestraw of Booneville; and numerous nieces and nephews. Preceding Dan in death are his parents and his beloved son, John David, on March 19, 2009. Pastor Sam Wilson will officiate. Dan will be laid to rest in the family plot at Leiter's Ford IOOF Cemetery. Click Here To Visit Our Gift Shop, "Tributes and Treasures"