Tom Tish, 83, of Grinnell, passed away Friday morning, Apr. 10, 2026, at UnityPoint Grinnell Regional Medical Center. A Celebration of Life will begin at 11 a.m., Thursday, April 16, at Grinnell Friends Church. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial with military rites will be held in the West Liberty Cemetery near Searsboro. A luncheon/reception will follow the burial at the Blakely Stevens American Legion Hall Building in Montezuma at approximately 1p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be to Grinnell Friends Church, Heart of Worship Church, Leavenworth First United Methodist Church, the Hammond Center at Sealand Park Human Needs Fund, or the Blakely Stevens American Legion Hall. In accordance with his wishes, he will be cremated and interred at West Liberty Cemetery near Montezuma, alongside generations of his family.
Tom was born July 25, 1942, in Osceola, the son of Ellis “Jack” Luverne and Evelyn Alice (Webb) Tish. He was raised near Searsboro, where his family established their home and roots. He grew up alongside his siblings, Richard “Dick” Webb and Dorothy Ann (Tish) Taylor.
He attended Searsboro Consolidated School and graduated from Searsboro High School with the Class of 1960. Following high school, Tom briefly attended Central College before pursuing training at Delta Airline Training School (Weaver Airline Institute) in Kansas City. He later worked in Chicago before returning to Iowa, where he was employed by Iowa Southern Utilities. Determined to further his education, Tom enrolled at William Penn College in Oskaloosa, earning a bachelor of arts degree in economics with a minor in history. He went on to earn a master’s degree in urban planning through Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA.
Sept. 30, 1967, Tom was united in marriage with his high school sweetheart Karen Louise Steen at Ft. Leonard Wood, MO. Together, they built a life centered on family. Tom lovingly adopted Karen’s two children, Tony and Teri, and they welcomed a son, Thomas Luverne “Tommy,” into their family.
Tom proudly served his country in the United States Army during the Vietnam War. His military career took him across the United States and overseas, including service in Vietnam, Alaska, and Germany. He dedicated 23 years to his country before transitioning to civilian life, continuing his work at the National Simulations Center in Leavenworth, KS. Following the acquisition of his position by Northrop Grumman, Tom eventually retired and enjoyed a quieter life in the countryside near Leavenworth.
In 2018, Tom and Karen returned to their Iowa roots, settling in Grinnell, where they enjoyed their later years together.
Tom will be remembered for his dedication to his family, his service to his country, his sense of humor, his love of history, family genealogy, community involvement, cemetery revitalization, the American Legion, carpentry, avian and garden lover, European Soccer (Tottenham Hotspur!), and anything having to do with U.S. railroads: History, lore, and engineering.
Tom is survived by his loving wife Karen Louise Tish of 58 years; children Joseph “Tony” (Lori) Tish of Las Vegas, NV, Teri (Daryl) Grammer of Murphysboro, IL, and Thomas “Tommy” (Dessira) Tish of Walnut Creek, CA; five grandchildren Paulina Cole, Jordyn Jones, Thomas Tish III, Kendall Tish, and Weston Tish; and six great-grandchildren: Logan, Kenadi, Olive, Everleigh, Mac, and Elias.
