Ceil Sinnex Obituary (1944 - 2022)

Ceil Sinnex, previously known as (Alice) Lucile Deatherage, passed away January 29, 2022 at her home in Springfield, Virginia. Born in Washington, DC, Ceil graduated from Annandale High School in 1962. She attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas; later graduated with a BA from University of Tennessee. Born December 31, 1944, she had recently turned 77. Ceil worked as a reporter for a variety of news organizations early in her career, including the Houston Post. Following her move to Hawaii in the late 1970s, she worked at the East-West Center. During the 1980-90s, Ceil was a freelance journalist for the Honolulu Star Bulletin and feature writer for Midweek, interviewing persons of interest including James Michener and Arlo Guthrie. Returning to her beloved Fairfax County, VA. Ceil reported for the Connection newspapers in Northern Virginia, as well as for a national professional newsletter for eye specialists. Throughout her life, Ceil was always working on larger, personal writing projects. Though only a few were published, she leaves behind a trove of essays, short stories, a novel and drafts for a biography of her maternal grandmother who was an osteopathic doctor. After losing her paternal grandmother, aunt, and cousin to ovarian cancer, Ceil tirelessly advanced legislation and research through her non-profit Ovarian Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Foundation. She advocated for funding in Congress and operated a support system for patients and families through her quarterly newsletter Ovarian Plus International, 1991-2004. Friends, associates and family will miss Ceil's creativity, humor, and her facility with words. Ceil had to leave her beloved 1950's car "Shaboom" in Hawaii, but her dedication to early rock 'n' roll continued. Ceil loved jazz, coffee, sketching, photography and was an avid reader. We will all miss her gusto and love of costuming. Ceil was pre-deceased in death by her parents, John Robertson Deatherage and Mary Elizabeth (Titsworth) Deatherage; and her husband Willis John McCormick. She is survived by numerous second cousins on both sides, as well as her loving partner of 12 years, Stuart Bernstein. Ceil's cremated remains were laid to rest at Annandale United Methodist Church, Virginia. In lieu of flowers and other tributes, donations can be made to the Roswell Park Cancer Institute: https://give.roswellpark.org/site/TR/TeamRoswell/General?px=1517299&pg=personal&fr_id=1220