“A room without books is like a body without a soul”

*In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Rocky Mountain Conservancy ( rmconservancy.org ), or Manistee County Library ( manisteelibrary.org ) are gratefully appreciated.*

Dawn Kisley , 82, formerly of Charlotte, MI and Bear Lake, MI entered into rest on November 17, 2021.  She was born Dawn April Howard on April 24, 1939, in Indianapolis, IN to Gordon and Roberta (Auble) Howard.  She was raised in Charlotte, Michigan, attending the Michigan School for the Blind in Lansing until the age of 13 when a surgical procedure granted her vision in one eye.  She graduated from Charlotte High School in 1957, going on to earn both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Library Science at Western Michigan University.

She worked for several years at the New York Public Library in Queens, and it was in Queens where she met her beloved husband, Victor Ela Kisley.  They married on August 3, 1968, and eventually moved back to Michigan, where Dawn served as the Director of the Manistee County Public Library from 1980 - 2003.  She was also a member of the Order of the Eastern Stars, where she served as Worthy Matron. Upon her retirement, she relocated to Tucson, AZ and finally to Charlotte, NC.

Dawn had a zest for life. She lived in the moment and appreciated the simple pleasures.  She loved music, the color red, horses, dogs, and most of all, reading books.  She kept a Cicero quote on her wall: “A room without books is like a body without a soul”.  She also had a lifelong love of the West, instilled in her as a child taking numerous family trips through the western states.  She had a special fondness for Rocky Mountain National Park, honeymooning there and returning numerous times with her husband and son to camp and hike the many trails, including her personal favorite, Deer Mountain trail.

Dawn was preceded in death by her brother, Robert, and husband, Victor (2013).  She is survived by her son, Richard Kisley (Alina), and her grandchildren, Ana and Connor.  She will be dearly missed.  In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Rocky Mountain Conservancy (rmconservancy.org), or Manistee County Library (manisteelibrary.org) are gratefully appreciated.