James Harold Tisdal

A Memorial service for James Harold Tisdal, M.D., 94, longtime Clinton physician, will be held on February 5, 2015, at 2:00 PM in the First 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. James Harold Tisdal was born March 7, 1920, to James Carroll and Esther Horne Tisdal in Elk City, Oklahoma, and passed away in his Clinton home on February 1, 2015. Dr. Harold, as he became know 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, Oklahoma, and graduated from Elk City High School in1938. 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 August 24, 1943, in Elk City. Their wonderful union continued until Eloise's passing on January 21st 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 Corp 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 January 21st, 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 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 Corp, 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 husband Frank, of Dallas, TX, three sons, Mart Tisdal and wife Marian, of Clinton, Dr.Paul Tisdal and wife, Jan, of Weatherford and Alan Tisdal and wife, Claire, of Tuscaloosa, AL . He is also survived by 10 grandchildren, Andrea Berryhill and husband, Brian, of Golden, CO, Reed Tisdal and wife, Stephanie of Chapel Hill, NC, Julia Tisdal of New York City, New York, Logan Tisdal of Ho Chi Min City, Viet Nam, Bo Tisdal, of Weatherford, Taylor Moen and husband, T. J. Palo, Alto, CA, Geoff Johnson, of Midland, TX, Todd Johnson, of Denver, CO, Maggie Howard and husband, Chad of Hailey, Idaho and Alexander Wilson, of Tuscaloosa, AL; three great-grandchildren, Landon Tisdal, of Weatherford, Alden Berryhill and Ava Berryhill, of Golden, CO; nephew, Bill Sutherland and wife Patty of Dallas, TX; nieces, Sandy Kornish and husband Jim of Carlisle, PA; and Marsha Bane and her husband Jerry of Fredericksburg, TX. The family has suggested those who wish to give a memorial contribution please do so to the First Methodist Church in Clinton, Clinton Mission House for the Homeless or a charitable organization of choice.