Jean Lois Cissa (99) was born July 11, 1924 lost her battle with metastatic breast cancer on August 13, 2023.

Jean 's parents Arthur C. Gudert and Edna S. (Hallstrand) raised her in Milwaukee and West Allis, WI.  The family spent many of their summer hours at their lake house on Pleasant Lake in East Troy, WI.

Jean graduated from West Allis Central high school in 1942.  While in high school, Ralph C. Cissa gave her the nickname Sam.  Many people know Jean by as Sam.

Jean studied as a medical technician at the University of Wisconsin Madison for 2 years and was a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority.

After working at Schlitz Brewing Company, Jean completed a five-week course to become a stewardess for United Airlines.  Jean loved her time working as a flight attendant.

Years after Ralph Cissa returned from WWII, Jean and Ralph started dating and were married on February 28, 1953 at Mount Hope Lutheran church in West Allis.

Ralph and Jean moved to the Chicago when Ralph became manager of a Chevy dealership.

Jean obtained a Real Estate license, was a Mary Kay representative, and demonstrated food/products at many grocery stores in IL and WI.

In the 1960, Jean bought the majority share of the lake house on Pleasant Lake.  Jean and Ralph spent many summers at the lake house hosting parties or entertaining vacationing family members.

Jean was a breast cancer survivor.  She did volunteer at one of the cancer groups in Chicagoland.

Ralph passed in January 2008 and was cremated.  Jean kept Ralph ashes with her.
Jean and Ralph will be interned at Southern Wisconsin Veteran Memorial Cemetery on Thursday August 31 at 3:00 p.m.

Jean is preceded in death by her parent, her husband, and many of other relatives. Jean is survived by Ralph's nephew Robert (Cheryl) Smith and nieces Susan (Charles) Friedhoff, Jean Masters, and Joan Cortes, Jean's first cousins Marilyn A. Koerber & Barbara J. Torgerson, and many other relatives and friends.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to American Cancer Society or another cancer organization.