Eddie Devon Tisdale Sr., 85, Mariah Hill

Eddie Devon Tisdale Sr., 85, of Mariah Hill, passed away on April 20, 2026.  Born on January 21, 1941, in Oakland City, Indiana, he spent the last 27 years of his life in Mariah Hill.

He is preceded in death by his partner, Justine Atkins; father, Harlan E Tisdale; mother, Virginia V (Nee) Sowder; stepfather, Harold C.W. Hagemeyer; sister, Judy Blessinger; brother, John Tisdale; and daughter, Sue Boyles.

He is survived by his siblings, Christie Terry and Lanna Williams; children, Waymon (Connie) Wallace, Bonnie Peet, Eddie (Tammy) Tisdale, James (Kimberly) Atkins, Elizabeth (Phil) Tisdale-Watts, Danny Joe (Christy) Atkins, Kellie Davis, Brandie (Richard) Cooley; and son-in-law Kevin Boyles; along with many grandchildren and great grandchildren who will carry forward his stories, his work ethic, and his spirit. 

Eddie was a proud Navy veteran and pilot who served at Guantanamo Bay. He left for the military at just 17, beginning a life defined by hard work, independence, and service. That work ethic started early. Eddie began his life farming and trucking, running a business by the age of 11. Over the years, he built a versatile career as a truck driver, construction foreman, and mechanic. He was always learning, always working, and dedicated to perfecting his craft.  He loved anything mechanical, collected more than most would understand, and was eventually and lovingly known as “the lawnmower man.”

He was the kind of man who could fix anything. He never met a problem he couldn’t solve. And if it had wheels, he probably raced it.

Eddie loved to talk. He could keep a story going long after you thought it might end, sometimes even following a customer all the way down the driveway, still talking as they tried to leave. His stories were often tall tales of a life well lived, told in a way only he could. They were part of his magic. And somehow, his memory was even better. He never knew a stranger. You knew him by his bib overalls, his white hair and beard, and the way he was always smiling, always ready for a conversation, a project, or both. A true good ole boy, he loved his family fiercely.

Eddie leaves behind a legacy of hard work, strong hands, good stories, and a family who will miss him deeply. And if you listen close, you can still hear him finishing one more story…

Funeral services for Eddie Tisdale, Sr. will be held on Friday, April 24, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. EDT at Nass and Son Funeral Home in Huntingburg with burial to follow in Oddfellows Cemetery, Francisco, Indiana, with military graveside rites. Visitation will begin at 11:00 a.m. EDT, prior to the service on Friday. 

Memorial contributions can be sent to the Sue Smiles Initiative, a memorial scholarship that promotes vascular access education for nurses in memory of Eddie’s daughter, Sue. Please make checks payable to: Sue Smiles Initiative, INC and mail to 6919 Ford Road South, Mt Vernon, IN 47620 c/o Kaeda Boyles. 

Condolences may be shared at nassandson.com