Claudia Sisemore

Claudia Sisemore had a one-of-a-kind smile that never failed to charm and twinkling eyes that provided a glimpse into a mischievous soul. Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, she spent her childhood in East Millcreek and Granger. She attended Cypress High School until her senior year when she transferred to West High School where she graduated. She earned a Bachelors in English from Brigham Young University (BYU) in 1959 and a Master of Fine Arts in filmmaking and painting from the University of Utah in 1976.

She was teacher of English, drama, creative writing, painting, and film production, and she produced educational films for the Utah State Office of Education, but her primary interest was in her independent documentaries about Utah's visual and performing artists. Claudia has filmed over twenty artists. including LeConte Stewart, Alvin Gittins, Virginia Tanner, Maurice Abravanel, Anton Rasmussen, V. Douglas Snow, Lee Deffebach, George Dibble, Larry Elsner, Connie Borup, Kathryn Stats, Ed Maryon, Bonnie Phillips, Denis Phillips, Kasiah Hancock, Francis Zimbeaux, Ted Wassmer, Randall Lake and Willam Christensen. She has had multiple art gallery showings of her own art over the years.

Claudia documented Utah's rich history of modern dance through productions focusing on Children's Dance Theater, Repertory Dance Theater and Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company. After retiring from the Utah State Office of Education, Sisemore formed her own production company, Canyon Video. 

At the 2015 Salt Lake City Arts Festival, Claudia was presented with the Mayor’s Artists Award in visual arts Mayor's Artists Award In 2018, she was honored at Kingsbury Hall as a 2018 University of Utah Alumni of the Year as she received the Legacy Award in film and media arts Legacy Arts Award

Claudia surrounded herself with all forms of art. She shared the beauty of art and the natural world with everybody around her. In addition to being a painter and filmmaker, she was an accomplished piano player. Claudia was an enduring source of support and encouragement for her students and for other artists. She loved tennis and skiing and was invited to be on the Olympic ski demonstration team. 

Claudia loved animals and had many cats over the years. She loved traveling and took her family on many adventures. She always had a kind heart and always looked out for the underdogs and the overlooked. She was always up for a trip for Ice Cream or a yummy treat. No one who met her will ever forget her.

Claudia is preceded in death by parents Alice and Darrell Sisemore and Ferris (Fuzz) and Flossie Bawden. She is survived by her three sisters: Vicki Hover, Connie Andrews, and Pat Creamer as well as her many nieces and nephews. She is also survived by her beloved cat “Monkey,” who watched over her while nestled (on) over her shoulder until the very end. 

Claudia’s family wants to thank her friends and neighbors who supported and visited Claudia for so many years: Carol Edison, Anne Garrett, Trent Alvey and Allyn & Connie Mahoney. We are so grateful to her caregivers from the memory care of Escalante At Coventry and the wonderful medical and hospice providers at Inspiration Home Health and AMG Senior Healthcare

In Lieu of Flowers, please donate to Children’s Dance Theater/Tanner Dance Children's Dance Theatre/TannerDance or the Humane Society of Utah. The Humane Society of Utah  Checks can be made to Humane Society of Utah and mailed to 4242 S 300 W, Murray, UT 84107.

Funeral services will be held Friday, August 16, 2024 at Memorial Holladay~Cottonwood Mortuary, 4670 South Highland Drive, Holladay, Utah 84117 at 1:00 p.m. with viewings Thursday, August 15, 2024 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. and again from 12:00-12:45 p.m. all at the same location. Interment will be at Memorial Holladay Cemetery, 4900 South Memory Lane, Holladay, Utah 84117.