James Harold Tisdal
A memorial service for James Harold Tisdal, M.D., 94, longtime Clinton physician, will be held on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2015, at 2 p.m. in the First United Methodist Church, officiated by Rev. Roland Youngberg. A private burial will be held at a later date under the direction of the Kiesau-Lee Funeral Home in Clinton.
James Harold Tisdal was born March 7, 1920, to James Carroll and Esther Horne Tisdal in Elk City, Okla., and passed away in his Clinton home on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2015.
Dr. Harold, as he became known to his many patients and friends, was raised in numerous places throughout the U.S. as he traveled with his parents but, ultimately, he spent a good portion of his teenage years in Elk City, Okla., and graduated from Elk City High School in 1938. He continued his education at the University of Oklahoma in Norman.
Dr. Harold met his future wife, Eloise, during the summer of 1942, and they were married on Aug. 24, 1943, in Elk City. Their wonderful union continued until Eloise’s passing on Jan. 21 of this year. They are now together again.
Dr. Harold graduated from the University of Oklahoma Medical School and, shortly thereafter, he was deployed as a medical doctor with the U.S. Army Air Corps to Hickam Field in Honolulu, Hawaii, where Eloise was later able to join him.
After several years of treating sick and injured survivors of World War II, Dr. Harold was honorably discharged from the Army, and, in 1947, he and Eloise moved back to Oklahoma and settled in Clinton, where he practiced medicine for almost 50 years. They made Clinton their home for the rest of their married lives together.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Carroll and Esther; his sister, Elaine Brown; and most recently, on Jan. 21, by his much loved wife of 72 years, Eloise.
Dr. Harold was a loving husband, father and grandfather. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church, an avid golfer, expert quail hunter and bass fisherman, collector of antique steins and golf memorabilia and, for many years, a private pilot.
He learned to enjoy traveling at an early age, having crisscrossed the United States many times with his parents. As a part of his duties as a medical doctor in the Army Air Corps, he made many trips to war torn China and U.S. bases in the Pacific.
During their many wonderful years together, Dr. Harold and Eloise traveled extensively from the Far East to Europe and most places in between. They were also lucky enough to play, together, many of the great golf courses in the U.S. and Scotland.
Dr. Harold is survived by daughter, Linda Johnson, and her husband, Frank, of Dallas, Texas; three sons, Mart Tisdal and his wife, Marian, of Clinton, Dr.Paul Tisdal and his wife, Jan, of Weatherford and Alan Tisdal, and his wife, Claire, of Tuscaloosa, Ala.
He is also survived by 10 grandchildren, Andrea Berryhill, and her husband, Brian, of Golden, Colo., Reed Tisdal, and his wife, Stephanie, of Chapel Hill, N.C., Julia Tisdal of New York City, N.Y., Logan Tisdal, of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Bo Tisdal, of Weatherford, Taylor Moen, and her husband, T. J., of Palo Alto, Calif., Geoff Johnson, of Midland, Texas, Todd Johnson, of Denver, Colo., Maggie Howard and her husband, Chad, of Hailey, Idaho and Alexander Wilson, of Tuscaloosa, Ala.; three great-grandchildren, Landon Tisdal, of Weatherford, Alden Berryhill and Ava Berryhill, of Golden, Colo.; a nephew, Bill Sutherland, and his wife, Patty, of Dallas, Texas; nieces, Sandy Kornish, and her husband, Jim, of Carlisle, Pa., and Marsha Bane, and her husband, Jerry, of Fredericksburg, Texas.
The family has suggested that memorial contributions may be made to the First United Methodist Church in Clinton, Clinton Mission House for the Homeless or a charitable organization of one’s choice.
(Paid Obituary)