It is with great sadness that we share news of the passing of Jesse F. Dishman. He passed peacefully in Indianapolis, Indiana, after a long battle with emphysema the morning of Saturday, September 12, 2020. Jesse was born in Wayne County, Kentucky and lived most of his early life in and around the Slickford, Kentucky area. A great lover of nature, he spent much of his early life in the woods of Kentucky. He held many very fond memories of his days in the woods with his Grandpap Gene. He married his grade school sweetheart Betty Jean Pyles. They quickly built a family. As a young father with two small children and a third on the way, he moved his family to Indianapolis. There the young couple built a happy life together. They eventually built and shared a successful business, Dishman Upholstery. A craftsman at heart, he took pride in his work, never cut corners, and was a highly sought after and very skilled upholsterer. Never shying away from hard work and the values and integrity instilled in him by his parents, he was known for working long 6-day weeks until he was forced to retire due to his declining health. Whatever he lacked in opportunities for formal education, he more than made up for in natural intelligence, wit, ingenuity, and curiosity. A life-long learner, he spent much of his spare time watching programs on Discovery, The Nature Channel, The History Channel, and other educational programs. He also had a great love of westerns and auto racing. In spite of long hours of work, a passion for hunting and auto racing, he was a devoted husband, father, and friend.
He is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Betty Pyles Dishman, children, James, Charlotte and Dallas, daughter-in-law Sandy Dishman, siblings Glenas Bertram, Pasty King, Earnest and Sterlie Dishman, grandchildren Mitchell Arthur, Amanda and Melinda Wilson, and Carly (Drake) Foster, great-grand children Kavan, Patty, Brian, Tamra, Jordon, MacKenzie, Kendall, and Liam, and a newly-born great-great-grandson, and his best friend Charles “Willis” McGinnis.
He is preceded in death by his parents Nellie Criswell and Freeman Dishman, his sisters Omie Hancock and Mae Harmon, and his brothers Carl, Ervin, Cecil “ Raplh”, and Harlan ”Harold B” Dishman.
According to his wishes, there will be no memorial or burial services. A Celebration of Life will be scheduled in Monticello, Kentucky when COVID19 restrictions on public gatherings have been lifted. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that contributions may be made to the maintenance of upkeep of the Dishman Family Cemetery in Slickford, Kentucky, the final resting place of many of Jesse and Betty’s immediate and extended family members. Donations can be sent to Dishman Cemetery Fund Plot #2, Monticello Bank, P.O. Box 421, Monticello KY 42633.
