Robert Tisch D.D.S.

"There are so many beautiful things surrounding us all the time, if we would just take time to recognize and appreciate them. Live each moment to the fullest because we do not know how much time God has granted us. Do not use the phrase "I wish"; just do it and you will have no regrets."

"I have been so blessed in my life. I have had incredible opportunities for lifetime education that have exposed me to so many new worlds. I loved practicing dentistry for thirty years. If it had not been for leukemia, I doubt that I would have ever thought about retirement. Judy and I have been given three wonderful sons of whom I am so proud. I can honestly say that they are way beyond whatever I could have done at their ages. I pray for their continued progress in developing their talents and aspirations. Our daughters-in-law, Jennifer and Sheri, bring so much excitement and promise for the future. I pray that they are and will be as happy in their marriages as Judy and I have been in ours. What can I say about Judy? She is my everything. Our love has grown so deeply over the years and especially during these difficult times."

The above quotations were written several years ago by Bob Tisch as he reflected back on his life. These thoughts capture some of the main principles by which he lived, which were to enjoy life and to cherish family.

Bob Tisch was born on March 29, 1941, in Muskegon Heights, Michigan, at Mercy Hospital. He was the seventh child of Louis Walter and Elizabeth Dorothy Tisch. He was born with red hair and fair pink skin covered with "peach fuzz."

Bob's childhood was filled with the love and endless activity of a large family. The girls in the family, Emma Jean, Marilyn, Betty and Janice, were the oldest and were in charge of the boys, Louie, Dave, and Bob. The girls would help clean the house, work at the D & C Dime Store, practice piano, and study, while the boys played!

Boys will be boys would explain his childhood. Hard fought "football games" in the backyard, boxing matches, BB gun fights, and hunting for snakes, turtles, frogs, and birds are a small sample of the boys "play."

At the age of seven, Bob's unique position of being the "baby in the family" was usurped by the birth of his brother Tom. As he mentioned repeatedly, he lost the coveted eating place in the kitchen where the breadboard extended from the counter top. He had eaten there in peace for years without being poked by his brothers! Now he had to move to the big table and fight for his fair share of the food!

In grade school at Sacred Heart, Bob did what the average Catholic male did. He was an altar boy serving at Mass at both the Church and the convent. His parents were very active in the church and knew many of the priests in the Grand Rapids Diocese. Bob had a lot of exposure to so many priests and decided during eighth grade to become a priest. At the age of 14, Bob entered Saint Joseph's Seminary in Grand Rapids.

Saint Joseph 's Seminary was very strict. They did not allow the use of phones, radios or newspapers, so all contact with the outside world was through the mail. The boys in the seminary were only allowed to see family once every six to eight weeks for three hours on the premises of the seminary. Each day was very structured. They emphasized "Mens sana in sano corpore" ("a sound mind in a sound body"). The camaraderie of the seminary was unique. Bob remained close to his classmates throughout his life.

During Bob's sixth year in the seminary, he began having doubts about his vocation and thought about leaving. He decided to see what it was like in a major seminary. He was sent to Mount Saint Mary's Seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio to study philosophy. His doubts continued, but he was told that Theology was what it would be like when he was a priest. So, the Diocese of Grand Rapids sent Bob to the Assumption Seminary in San Antonio, Texas for Theology. During that year he realized that he was not 100% committed to being a priest. He enjoyed the seminary but could not make the commitment. So, after nine years, he left the seminary.

As the seminary had no science classes, Bob then headed to Michigan State University ("MSU") for two years of straight science classes to round out his education. While at MSU, he applied to the University of Michigan ("U of M") Dental School. At the time he had no idea what dentistry involved, but he thought that it seemed like a good profession to help his fellow man.

At U of M, Bob worked as a dorm resident advisor and later as a resident director. Coming from the seminary, dorm life was quite a change. Bob always said the dorm job was invaluable in helping him to assimilate back into the "real world". He said he learned just as much from the dorm job as he did in dental school.

Bob's life took an amazing turn in 1967. He was between his first and second years in dental school, and was attending some of his seminary classmates' First Masses. After one such Mass, he had dinner with one of his best friend's parents, Joseph and Wanda Wasco. They had a great time, and Bob was to attend Den Wasco's First Mass a few weeks later. Den and Bob had been very close in the seminary and, although Bob had known Den and his parents for more than twelve years, Bob had never met Den's sister, Judy. At Den's First Mass, Bob met Judy for the first time. When he returned to Ann Arbor that fall, he contacted Judy and they had their first date! Although Judy knew right away that Bob was the man she wanted to marry, Bob was on a much slower pace. Bob fell into a schedule of calling Judy once every three weeks, which drove Judy crazy. As he always said, "thank goodness for Judy's patience." He finally came around and they married two years later.

After graduating from dental school, and with a year of marriage behind them, Bob was determined to move away from the racial and drug problems he had seen through his dorm life and move to a small town. Bob joined a group dental practice in the small town of Plainwell, Michigan. Bob thought that this would be a more peaceful atmosphere to raise a family. This was a decision that he never regretted.

God granted Bob and Judy three children. Robert, Timothy and Stephen were born on July 25, 1971, April 23, 1974 and December 18, 1975, respectively. The boys were his life. He enjoyed watching them grow and develop into fine young men. They brought him great pride and happiness!

Bob went on to practice dentistry for thirty years. He was heavily involved in the legislative area for the Michigan Dental Association. He served on the Pipp Foundation for more than twenty years. The Pipp Foundation is a private community foundation that helps fund local activities in an effort to make Plainwell a better place to raise a family. He also spent a lot of time at the local schools, as he believed that teaching children dental health at a young age would get them on the right dental path for life.

On May 18, 1994, an unimaginable event greatly affected Bob's life. Bob's parents were murdered in their home by a neighborhood crack cocaine addict. There were several major tasks that he performed that took an enormous amount of time and that were emotionally draining. Besides caring for his dental patients, his energies were directed towards the murder trial and the administration of his parents' estate.

The greatest help in coping with the deaths of his parents was his determination to have his parents remembered for who they were. This is what started Bob's fascination with genealogy. He began by compiling photo albums with all the critical data for each picture from all the significant family photographs. In addition, he wrote his parents' biographies. All of his brothers and sisters, their spouses and a majority of their children wrote their autobiographies to go along with the project. Bob compiled all of these into one large album with copies of key family pictures and the family tree. It was a remarkable accomplishment. Bob continued to be a spokesperson for the family and would send out a monthly electronic newsletter to members of the extended Tisch family. The newsletter was his way of keeping everyone in touch.

During the period of extraordinary activity and emotional havoc surrounding the death of his parents, Bob often mentioned to Judy that he prayed that his health would not be destroyed. Unfortunately, in September 1994, he was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. In 1998, Bob realized that the fatigue caused by his Leukemia made it necessary for him to cut back his hours at the dental office. On May 30, 2000, he retired.

Bob enjoyed his retirement years. He attended every family wedding and function that his health would allow. He made sure that the doctors scheduled his treatments such that he would be in the best possible health for such events. His adrenaline would always begin to flow at these events and he would have such a glow at each party!

Bob was blessed with three grandchildren: Aiden Robert and Berkeley Robert, born on February 7, 2004; and Alyssa Danielle born on December 14, 2004.

Bob passed away peacefully on October 2, 2006 at Bronson Hospital, with Judy by his side.

Friends may visit with Bob's family on Thursday, October 5, 2006, from 2-4 & 6-8 PM, with a scripture service at 7 PM read by Rev. Fr. Don Klingler, all at the Life Story Funeral Home, RDMG, Plainwell, 120 S. Woodhams. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, October 6, 2006, at 11 AM at St. Margaret's Catholic Church in Otsego, Rev. Fr. Don Klingler Celebrant. A committal service will be at 2 PM on Friday at Holy Cross Cemetery in Grand Rapids. Please visit Bob's memory page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you can read his life story, archive a favorite memory, or make a memorial donation to the Anna R. Pipp Foundation, 151 S. Rose Street, Suite 332, Kalamazoo, MI 49007, Plainwell Area Community Center, St. Margaret's Church or to the charity of your choice.