John Thomas Tiff, age 66, passed away on February 3, 2010, after a courageous battle with cancer. John was born November 26, 1943 in York, Nebraska to Floyd Arthur Tiff and Rosa Virginia Morgan Tiff. He grew up in Berwyn, NE and went to high school in Broken Bow, NE. He is preceded in death by his father Floyd Arthur Tiff and a son Steven Burl Tiff. He is survived by his wife Kay Lorraine Tiff, his daughter Anita Louise Schauer and grandson Isaac Thomas Schauer, his mother Rosa Virginia Tiff, his brother Edward Roy Tiff, and his sister Mary Janelle Critchfield.

John married Kay Lorraine Ward in Hot Springs, South Dakota on June 5, 1965. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Chadron State College, Chadron, NE in 1966. In July of 1967, he began a lifetime career as Historian for the National Park Service. His career began at Grand Canyon National Park, AZ and continued at Edison National Historic Site, NJ; Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, IN; Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site, Washington D.C. and Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, TX.

For 24 years from 1977 to 2001, John served as an EMT with the North Blanco County EMS. He was always on call Friday nights, but was ready to respond any time he was needed, and he did. 

John retired in July 2001. He and his wife, Kay began RV’ing and in the next eight years, they volunteered over 12,000 hours for National Parks, which included Amistad National Recreation Area, TX; Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, MI; Fort Laramie National Historic Site, WY; Big Thicket National Preserve, TX;

Devils Tower National Monument, WY; Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, AZ;  Homestead National Monument of America, NE; LBJ National Historic Park, TX and D.C. Booth National Historic Fish Hatchery, SD. 

A Memorial service will be held at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church; 601 W. Creek Street, in Fredericksburg, TX on February 13, 2010 at 2 pm. It was John’s wish that any Memorial Donations be sent or given to the North Blanco County EMS in Johnson City, TX.

In Memory of John Thomas Tiff

THERE WHEN YOU NEED US

North Blanco County EMS

P.O. Box 557

or 105 Bill Watson Dr

Johnson City, TX 78636

Phone: (830) 868-7834

Fax: (830) 868-9234

Director@NorthBlancoCountyEMS.org