Joe Tison

Joe was born on February 1, 1950, as the youngest of three children to Meriam (Kimball) Tison and Lowell Tison. His mother was from Cincinnati, and his father's family were long-time residents of Eldorado. Joe, along with his older brother Lowell (Grace) Tison and sister Diana (Allan) Englehardt, grew up on their family farm in Longbranch Township, a small community in Saline County, which consists of farmland and a few residents who are all friends or family. Being the youngest of the three siblings, he spent a great deal of time in the kitchen with his mother, learning how to cook and bake, which became a lifelong hobby. His pecan pies, homemade caramel corn, apple crisp, pancakes, and Reuben sandwiches were some of his most requested items.

Growing up, Joe was a stand-out athlete. He played golf, basketball, and football. He graduated from Eldorado High School in 1968 and was on an exceptional basketball team which had a 16-1 regular season record. They won the regional and performed with excellence at the sectional but were overcome by Mt. Vernon. His senior year football team went 8-1, only falling to Marion. He was named quarterback of the All-Southern Illinois Team as well as named to the All-Independent Team. He went on to play NCAA Division 1 Football at SIU Carbondale. He was named to the Eldorado High School Hall of Fame in 1992. After college, he followed sports enthusiastically, both professional teams and the local Eldorado Eagles. He continued to play golf his entire life and found lifelong joy in the sport and the friendships he made on the course. If he wasn't on the golf course, you could often find him swinging clubs (or imaginary ones) in his house, yard, or anywhere he could find the space.

After Joe graduated from college with a degree in agriculture, he went to work on his family farm. He was on the Saline County Soil and Water Conservation District Board and was named Outstanding Conservation Farmer of the Year in 2014. He also sold cars at Smith-Reynolds Chevrolet Oldsmobile and at Car Connection. He married his high school sweetheart, Krystal (Smith) Tison, in 1973 and had two daughters, Kacy (Kyle) Lapington and Kara Tison. Joe was the perfect dichotomy between a hard-working, boot-wearing farmer who came out of the fields covered in dirt and a sharp-dressed, tailored, clean-shaven man. He enjoyed shopping more than his girls did, and they got a kick out of his love of style.

Other than cooking and golfing, he had a passion for working in his yard. His mother and he would work endless hours perfecting the landscaping and flower beds. They enjoyed being outside together, working, and making things beautiful. Both early-birds, you could find them when the sun comes up, already outside working on a new project.

Joe and Krystal were ahead of their time when raising their daughters in the 1980s. As parents, they defied traditional gender roles, and both did whatever needed to be done. Joe knew how to put his girls' hair in rollers, took them to school, helped them with their math homework, and taught them to box out. Those who knew Joe know that he was a happy-go-lucky and easy-going guy, who was loved by all who knew him. He enjoyed watching football, golf, and political commentary on TV, and if you had any knowledge of those topics, he'd talk as long as you wanted. Joe was a member of First Christian Church in Eldorado and enjoyed going to Bible Study with his wife. Later in life, Joe got to experience being a grandfather. He has five grandchildren: Smith, Jolynn, Sloan, Brooks, and Will, who all adored him. The time his grandkids spent with him was not long enough, but they cherished their time with him. Joe is also survived by his sister-in-law, Katina (Gregg) Eubanks, and was loved by his many nieces and nephews.

Joe was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia and lived the last years of his life in a slow decline. He passed away peacefully on October 3, 2025. A celebration of life will be held at Rhine Cemetery Chapel on Saturday, November 29, 2025. The family will be available for visitation at 9:00 am with a celebration of life at 11:00 am. Joe's family would like to set up a scholarship fund in his name. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Eldorado High School Foundation, which gives college scholarships to high school seniors.