Former mayor, school board president Charles Sivley passes away
May 13—Former city council member, mayor and school board president Charles Leslie Sivley died on Friday at the age of 92. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday at Wesley United Methodist Church.
Sivley was elected to the Greenville City Council in 1971 — serving three terms. He was later elected mayor and served three years in that post as well. In 2006, he was elected to the Greenville ISD School Board, where he served as president as well.
Sivley was born July 11, 1931 in rural Honey Grove, Texas. He grew up in Lamar and Fannin counties and while stationed in California as a member of the U.S. Navy, he attended Modesto Junior College, earning an associate's degree. He finished his college education at East Texas State University (now Texas A&M University-Commerce), earning a bachelors in arts and going on to earn his master's in music education.
Moving to Greenville after a short stay in Dallas, Sivley served as choir director at Park Street Baptist Church while attending ETSU.
In 1960, he accepted a teaching position with Waxahachie ISD. After his tenure in Waxahachie, he and his family returned to to Greenville in 196. During his 63 years here in Greenville, his ministry and servanthood has a long list. He began his his career at GISD as choir director at the high school and junior high as well as interim choir director at First Baptist Church.
In 1962, Sivley was hired as music director of Wesley United Methodist Church, where he served until his retirement in 1998 and where he remained a member until his death.
In addition to his teaching, Sivley was also active in the community — serving on the board of Community Concerts (then the Greenville Entertainment Series) and also 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 City Council PTA awarded Sivley a special award for his unselfish service to the community and its youth and he also received both the state and national PTA Life Membership awards. He was also a member of the Greenville Chamber of Commerce and served as president of the YMCA.
Sivley is survived by his wife, Patsy Ruth Sivley; daughter Sharon Whiting of Bells, Texas; daughter Denise Colbert of Greenville; and daughter Linda Hatcher of Fairfax, Virginia in addition to nine grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
