Obituary of Wendy Ellen Cisco

May 16, 1966 - January 15, 2026

Wendy Ellen Cisco. Age 59 of Brownstown. 

Beloved wife of Walter. Loving mother of Zachary Hoeft, Hanna (Ian) Ferguson, Emma (Ryan) Case, Lily Hoeft, Kristin (Robert) Grden and Eric Cisco.  Dearest grandmother of Gryffin and Rory.   Dear sister of Tracy DeByle and Derek (Jamie) DeByle. Also survived by nieces and nephews.  Preceded in death by her parents, Dr. Kenneth and Joan DeByle; and her fluffy cat, Livy.

Family tribute ~ 

Wendy will always be remembered for her love of reading; particularly Stephen King novels. She was also fond of perfect grammar and punctuation (even while texting!) She spent many summers lying in the sun with a good book and a Diet Dr Pepper. Wendy loved the water, playing in the waves, and was a remarkable swimmer from early childhood well into her adult years.

She found happiness in traveling and was always eager for her next adventure. Her weekends often consisted of going to the movies, trips to Frankenmuth or South Haven, and many Broadway shows. She appreciated a good comedy show and also had an amazing sense of humor of her own. Wendy leaves behind countless fun memories, a lot of laughter, and more than a few perfectly timed witty remarks. Over the years she had many inside jokes with both family and friends that would often go on for years and will likely continue even after her passing.

She was an avid lover of animals, especially cats and her grand-dogs. She enjoyed going to farms and zoos as well as spending time at her local animal shelter. In 2009, she adopted her pride and joy - her little torti cat Olivia Margaret (Livy) whom she cherished almost as much as her human loved ones.

 Education was incredibly important to Wendy. She attended graduate school later in life and earned two master’s degrees - Master of Arts in Teaching Learning Disabilities and Masters of Arts in Teaching Autism Spectrum Disorders from Madonna University. She devoted much of her working career to the TOTE program with the Woodhaven-Brownstown School District where she retired from in 2020. She instilled her values and morals into her own children who have followed in her footsteps with multiple degrees and successful careers of their own.

Wendy married the love of her life, Walter Cisco in 2013. Since day one, the two of them have shared a beautiful and selfless love. They had many adventures traveling all over the world together. Walt made sure that Wendy felt safe and loved every single day throughout the progression of her illness. Walt was her partner and best friend and he dedicated his entire life to Wendy. The love they shared was indescribable. Wendy’s family wishes to express their deepest appreciation for the selfless love and devotion Walt had for Wendy. The amount of patience, selflessness, and sacrifice Walt displayed during the duration of their partnership, but particularly during her final years, will never be forgotten by those who knew her. During one of the most difficult periods of her life, Walt ensured Wendy could live out her final days with dignity and in an environment filled with love instead of sorrow. 

Though we mourn her passing and will always wish we had more time with her, the memories we have of Wendy will stay with us forever.   

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD), Bluefield Project to Cure Frontotemporal Dementia, or Michigan Humane Society, in honor of her passion for animals and in support of advancing research toward a cure.