MATHISTON — Former Starkville Police Chief Larry Sisk died Friday in a single-vehicle accident in Webster County.
Sisk, 61, was driving his GMC pickup north on the Natchez Trace Parkway just before dawn when he struck a tree that had possibly been blown in the road by overnight storms, said Natchez Trace Ranger Mike Foster.
Sisk, who was traveling home from his job as a security guard at the North Mississippi Medical Center in Eupora, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.
Sisk spent 29 years as a Starkville police officer and served seven years as chief before retiring in 2001.
“We shared a lot of experiences over the years,” said David Lindley, Sisk”s successor as chief of SPD. “I learned a lot of things from him. He was always a people person and someone who would help anyone. It”s just a very tragic accident.”
Lindley and Sisk worked together from 1975 until Sisk retired. Both were lieutenants and captains at the same time before Sisk became chief. Lindley was second in command while Sisk was chief.
“He did a lot for the citizens of this community,” Lindley said. “He had a great relationship with everybody. Even after he retired, he would still come to things like our Christmas parties and retirements for other officers. We”re all really shocked.”
Retired SPD Deputy Chief John Outlaw worked with Sisk for 20 years. He said Sisk”s greatest attributes were his jovial personality and love for his family.
“He was one who loved to have good camaraderie with men at work,” Outlaw said. “He liked to have cookouts and joke and laugh. He was a great chief.”
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