Eleanor Debold Birkner

Eleanor Marion DeBold Seargeant Birkner (Cissy), of Petersburg, Virginia, a member of the Greatest Generation, passed away after a brief illness on January 6, 2018. She was born in Brooklyn, NY on December 16, 1921 to the late George J. and Ruth Driesler DeBold. She had no siblings or cousins. She was predeceased by a step-mother, Jo DeBold; and both of her husbands, Captain Billy M. Seargeant (in 1953) and Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) John F. Birkner (in 1981). She is survived by her children, Billy Michael Seargeant (Dianne), George J. DeBold Seargeant (Hilda), Louanne E. Birkner, and J. Douglas Birkner (Ginger); 5 grandchildren; and 5 great-grandchildren. Cissy met Billy in New York City in 1944 when he was stateside for leave from the 8th AAF in England. When they married in 1945, she moved to Texas and never went back North. With his death at Andrews Air Force Base, she went back to Texas to be nearer his family. It is there she met John in 1954 (a veteran of WWII Infantry), who was an ROTC instructor at Texas A&M. With their military move to Fort Lee, Virginia, they took up permanent Virginia residency. Cissy loved most anything chocolate, dancing, playing bridge, black Labrador Retrievers, and cats. Family and friends will meet at the residence from 6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M., Wednesday, January 10, 2018. A procession from the Petersburg Chapel of J.T. Morriss & Son Funeral Home will leave promptly at 10:45 A.M., Thursday, January 11, 2018 to Blandford Cemetery for an 11:00 A.M. graveside service. The family wishes to thank Marcella Thomas for her years of loving care and devotion. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Petersburg-Colonial Heights SPCA, P.O. Box 1174, Colonial Heights, VA 23834 or to Kindred Hospice, 595 Old Wagner Road, Petersburg, VA 23805. Condolences may be registered at www.jtmorriss.com .