Fredric Tisdell

Born in Potsdam, New York, Fredric Laurence Tisdell passed away peacefully in his home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Known as Fred, Mr. Fred, and Grandpa Fred, he lived for his family. Whether it was riding along with his eldest son, Ross, on patrol with the Oakland Police Department or running extension cords to the outfield fence to film his youngest son, Eric, playing baseball, Fred was happiest watching his sons thrive.

He also never knew an idle day. Fred retired from Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) after 33 years, retired from New Haven Unified School District after 8 years, worked at Winn-Dixie, and then a landscaping company until he was 78 years old. He would be the first to volunteer to climb on top of a roof to hang Christmas lights or mow the lawn wearing layers of sweats under his jeans and a button-down flannel shirt.

Fred loved to travel via train to New York to visit his sister and brother and then to California to visit his son, Ross, and family. Rarely meeting a stranger, he frequently made lifelong friends on these trips with whom he continued to correspond.

If you were fortunate enough to visit Fred’s home, you would see he treasured and displayed every memory from photographs, golf score sheets, greeting cards, and football game tickets to grandchildren’s drawings and Thanksgiving dinner place cards. And, let’s not forget about the scratchers and lottery tickets. Did someone say, “Bingo!”?

An extroverted introvert, Fred was an observer. But, put on some music and give him a dance floor, and he turned into Fred Astaire effortlessly guiding his partner cheek-to-cheek. His favorite dance partner, by far, was Sandy, who was the mother of his two treasured sons. Although they divorced many years ago, Fred always considered her the love of his life.

Preceded in death by his parents, Fredrick Ross Tisdell and Clara Mae Tisdell, Fred is survived by his brother William Tisdell (Pat); sister Mary Anne Meyers; son Ross Tisdell (Shauntel); son Eric Tisdell (Jackie); grandchildren Aurea Tisdell, Ross Tisdell, Jr., Delicia Higares, Justin Tisdell, Jackson Tisdell, Brandon Tisdell, and Max Tisdell; and great-granddaughter Naiya.

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