John R. Tishner

John Ray Tishner passed away on May 1, 2024 at the age of 78, in his beloved Indianapolis, Indiana. His battle with cancer in recent months showed his courage in facing life challenges with unrelenting strength. Despite the pain, John came out a hero and stayed strong until the end. John loved his position of mentor in the family. When asked, “I have a question,” his response was always “I have an answer, let’s see if they match.” John had lived a full and amazing life; a life with so many experiences that made him the go-to person for advice. At the age of 17, John enlisted in the army and fought for his country in Vietnam. He valued this service highly as an Airborne for the 173rd Airborne Brigade and 101st Screaming Eagles. John was a man of many talents, living many lives in different careers as a carpenter, cement mason, mechanic, newspaper deliverer, until finding his true passion as an engineer installing commercial ovens for bakeries around the world. John enjoyed traveling the world and embracing new cultures. John was predeceased by his mother: Barbara Gray, father: Otto Tishner, and stepfather: Robert Gray. He is survived by his loving wife and partner in life and adventures: María Luisa Tishner, his children: Melissa Tishner, Angela (Tracy) Woodall, Samantha (Ben) Lamb, Frank Tishner, Heather (Brent) Dawes and Marisa (Thorsten) Schumann, as well as his small army of grandchildren. His loved ones will remember his feisty personality and unwavering love. There will be a private celebration of life held at a later date.