Charles Leslie Sivley, 92, of Greenville, passed away on Friday, May 10, 2024, in Greenville. Funeral services will be 2:00 P.M., Thursday, May 16, 2024, at Wesley United Methodist Church with Rev. Dorothy Straks and Rev.Chris Yost officiating. Visitation will be Wednesday, May 15, 2024 from 6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. at Coker-Mathews Funeral Home. A private family interment will take place at D/FW National Cemetery.

Charles Leslie Sivley was a much loved, admired, and respected husband, father, brother, uncle, grandfather, great-grandfather, great-great-grandfather, choral director, educator, and friend. In the words of a former student, now friend, he wrote, ”Charles squeezed every drop of talent, humor, leadership, and goodwill he had into his 92 years. He made all those around him better people and helped them see the beauty, worth, and humor in everything they did (and in themselves). He made the world a much better place and certainly helped me believe that I could do more than I thought I could do.”

Charles Sivley was born July 11, 1931 to Donald Sivley and Audie Mae Sivley Bailey in rural Honey Grove, Texas; he shed his earthly form and entered into heaven May 10, 2024 at the age of 92 years, 9 months, and 29 days. He grew up in Lamar and Fannin Counties where he excelled in school and was named ”Most Intelligent” his senior year in West Lamar HS. He met the love of his life, and later wife of 70 years, around the piano at church where they both shared a deep love of Christ, family, and music. Charles married Patsy Ruth Crenshaw on December 5, 1953 at Field City Baptist Church in Dallas during a leave in his military service in the Navy. While stationed in California their first daughter, Sharon, was born; then followed by daughter Denise. While in California, Charles attended Modesto Junior College to start his career in music, where he was told by a professor that he didn’t have the talent or aptitude for a music career. Well, he proved that professor wrong, because before Charles was finished, he was a respected, admired, and accomplished choral conductor known for his accomplishments on many levels, including a prestigious invitation to Oberlin Music Conservatory for Choral Conductor music workshop in Oberlin, Ohio. Charles received his Associate’s Degree while serving as the choir director at Calvary Baptist Church, Modesto California. Soon after he completed his college courses in California, he and his family moved back to Texas just in time for their third daughter Linda to be born. Charles finished his college education at ETSU, earning a Bachelor in Arts and going on to earn his Masters in Music Education and was short only a few college hours of achieving his Doctorate before his eyesight prevented him from completing that degree. After moving from California to Dallas, then to Greenville where Charles was Choir Director at Park Street Baptist Church while attending ETSU to earn his Bachelors Degree in 1959 and then on to enroll again for his Masters.

In 1960 Charles received his Master of Music Education and accepted a teaching position with Waxahachie ISD where he also served as Music Director of Farley Street Baptist Church. While serving as the Music Teacher at Waxahachie High School, he also had several elementary schools. His musical instrument at the elementary schools, due to the lack of a piano, was his accordion, those students remember him to this day as the Music Teacher with the accordion.

After his tenure in Waxahachie, the Sivleys came back to Greenville in 1961 for good, where Charles would make his mark on his new hometown. During his 63 years here in Greenville his ministry and servanthood has a long list. He started out his choral director career at the GISD as choral director at the High School and Junior High as well as Interim Choir Director at First Baptist Church.
While teaching for 14 years at the Greenville High School, he directed the first musical, ”Oklahoma.” Other musicals presented were: ”South Pacific,” ”Bye, Bye Birdie,” ”Music Man,” ”Bells are Ringing,” ”Fiddler on the Roof,” and ”Sound of Music” with repeats of ”Oklahoma”. In addition to the musicals, trips to the Buccaneer Music Festival in Corpus Christi were always a highlight.

During his tenure, the Acapella Choir earned many Superior Ratings. Many of his students won honors at the UIL competition and State Solo and Ensemble contest. The quality of the students who participated in the high school choir program during these years was outstanding.

During his time as choral director, Charles had the opportunity to work with some great choir directors during Summer Choir camps. They include Dr. Euell Porter, Ron Shirey, Bev Hensen, James Richards, Charles Hirt, Lloyd Pfaustch, Paul Christiansen, Lara Haggard, Lloyd Sunderman, and others. He received a Ford Foundation Grant to study at Oberlin Music Conservatory, Oberlin, Ohio, where he was honored with work with Dr. Robert Fountain.
After receiving his administrator’s certificate, he was assigned as principal of Carver, then Travis Elementary Schools, then Greenville Jr. High, and his final position as principal of the newly created Greenville Intermediate School, where he introduced Team Teaching. He was extremely proud of implementing this new approach of teaching for GISD.

In 1962 Charles is hired as Music Director of Wesley UMC, where Charles served until his retirement in 1998; and where he remained a member until his death.

In addition to his teaching, Charles was also active in the community and his church.
In 1995 Mr. Sivley and members of Wesley worked together to present its first Boar’s Head and Yule Log Festival. It involved almost 200 people in the production and continued for several years after his retirement. He served on the board of Community Concerts (now Greenville Entertainment Series) and at the request of First Presbyterian minister Dr. Graham, Charles began conducting singing portions of ”Messiah” at 10:30 PM on Christmas Eve, first with the Acapella Choir, then later with GHS Acapella Choir Alumni – a tradition that continued for 50 years.

Charles organized the Greenville Concert Chorus of interested adults in the community. He directed this group until it became part of the chorus that performed with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. The late Dallas Symphony Conductor, Eduardo Mata, presented him a Certificate of Appreciation for preparing choral groups to perform with the Symphony. Charles and Harris Morgan worked together to bring the Dallas Symphony Orchestra to Greenville for its first performance here. They worked to obtain a Fine Arts Grant from the State of Texas which allowed the students of GISD to attend a concert for $1.00. (Later these concerts were free due to the generosity of one of Greenville’s citizens.) Charles had been a member of the Dallas Symphony Board of Greenville since its inception until he retired.

In 1971 Charles is elected to and serves on the Greenville City Council, and later is elected as Mayor of
Greenville and served three years in that post. The City Council PTA awards Charles a Special Award for
his unselfish service to the community and its youth. He also received both the State and National PTA Life Membership Awards. He was a member of the Chamber of Commerce, ’83-’84 President of the YMCA with Trig Ekeland, director.

He served on the Child Protective Services Board, serving as its Chairman until the end of his term.
Charles was a substitute teacher for the Greenville ISD. Mr. Sivley volunteered to direct the Hand Bell Choir at his church. In 2002 the United Way awarded Charles the honor of ”Volunteer of the Year” for his impact on the community. In 2004 he was also awarded the Lion’s Heart Award by the City Council PTA for his generosity to the children of GISD. In 2006, due to his love for the Greenville schools, Mr. Sivley decided to run for and was elected to the GISD School Board where he served as President as well.

From 2007-2013 Charles directed the Villager’s Chorale, a group of professional and lay people who loved to sing. They met at Wesley Village in Denison for their rehearsals. Concerts were presented in the late spring and summer and at Christmas to retirement homes, civic groups, and churches.

Charles led a full, fun, music-filled life of servanthood to his Faith and Community. His absence from our presence will be deeply felt, but we know he is with the Lord … in this, there is No Doubt.

Charles is survived by his loving wife of 70 years, Patsy Crenshaw Sivley, daughter Sharon Whiting (Steve) of Bells, Tx, daughter Denise Colbert (Glenn) of Greenville, Tx, and daughter Linda Hatcher of Fairfax, Va and beloved sister-in-law Dianne Sivley of Windom, Tx. Also surviving him are Grandchildren Kellie Colbert Lamm (Brett), Michael Hatcher (Alissa), Sammi Whiting Sopko (Tony), Hadley Whiting (Monica), Jackie Colbert, Brooke Hatcher Morrison (Mark), Ashley Richardson Reiter (Justin), Caitlin Hatcher Truhn (Chad), 19 Great-Grandchildren and 3 Great-Great-Grandchildren and numerous beloved nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents Donald Sivley and Audie Mae Bailey, grandson Blake Richardson, his brother J.D. Sivley and sister Wanda Roberson.

Pallbearers will be his great-grandsons, Colby Hilleary, Evan Hatcher, Preston Lamm, Anthony Colbert, Andrew Colbert, and Dillon Hatcher.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Wesley UMC Media Ministry, Shriners Children at www.shrinerschildrens.org, Turners Syndrome at www.turnerssyndrome.org, or the local Lions Club Vision program.