Jack Eugene Tisron

TISRON, Jack Eugene Of Kalamazoo Passed away Sunday December 6, 2009. Jack was born April 19, 1925 in Boyne Falls Michigan, the son of John and Viva Tisron. He was preceded in death by his wife Elizabeth (Betty) in July 1997, his sister Myrtle (Polly) Rogers, and his brothers Samuel and Charles Tisron. Jack is survived by his children, Jacqueline (Gary) Bailey of Grand Blanc; Ross (Melinda) Tisron of Kalamazoo; Mick (Jill) Tisron of White Cloud, and Judy (Tom) Schoenhoven of Grand Rapids. He is also survived by his eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Jack was a member of the Civilian Conservation Corps in northern Michigan when he was a young man. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served as a Motor Machinist's Mate aboard Destroyer Escorts during WW II. He performed North Atlantic convoy duty and in the North African Campaigns. He was a disabled Veteran. Jack drove taxi in Grand Rapids after WW II where he met and married his wife Elizabeth (Betty) Zacharias in 1947. They raised four children. They shared an interest in old time music and wintered in Quartzite Arizona in their later years. Jack was an ironworker for 60 years, and worked all around the U.S. He was a member of Ironworkers Local 340 in Battle Creek. He assisted in the preservation of the bridges in the Historic Bridge Park near Battle Creek. He drove rivets on the Astoria-Megler Bridge across the mouth of the Columbia River in 1965, and he worked on strategic missile sites in the western U.S. He was proudest of his work on the Mackinac Bridge. He attended the 50th Anniversary Banquet of the Mackinac Bridge in 2007 and was one of the original organizers of the Ironworkers Festival that continues annually in Mackinaw City. He performed riveting demonstrations there every year through 2007. Jack is a member of the International Ironworkers Hall of Fame. He was one of a group of "Big Mac" veterans featured in a program about the bridge on the "Modern Marvels" TV show. Jack drove the last rivet on the Mighty Mac. Jack served as a volunteer driver for Hope Network and other charitable organizations. Jack was a long time member of the Michigan Masons and served as Worshipful Master five times, in two different lodges. He was most recently a member of Newaygo-Pilgrim Lodge Number 131. He was a Royal Arch Mason as well. Cremation was arranged through the Avink Funeral Home Cremation Society in Schoolcraft Michigan, 269-679-5622. A memorial Service will be held on Saturday January 2, 2010,1 PM, at the Shelbyville United Methodist Church in Shelbyville Michigan. Memorial donations in lieu of flowers can be made to the Martin United Methodist Church in Martin Michigan.