Thomas Byron Stillman

Thomas “Tom” Stillman, beloved husband, father, brother, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, at the age of 82, surrounded by his loving family.

Tom was born September 24, 1943, in Eugene, Oregon. He graduated from Fresno High School, where he excelled in baseball and track. He then met and married the love of his life, Joyce, and together they raised three children: Tami, Shari, and Shane.

At 20, Tom began his long career with PG&E. After calling every day for 30 days, he accepted a job in San Jose and commuted home to Fresno on weekends to spend time with his wife and newborn daughter. His work later took him to Shell Beach, Monterey, Madera, Merced, and Bakersfield before returning to Merced.

During his free time, he and Joyce spent time gardening, which led them to start a landscaping company known for its distinctive yards and strong word-of-mouth referrals.

A natural entrepreneur and collector, Tom loved “artifact” hunts with his buddy Gene at the Bass Lake dump—an interest that led him to start the Merced Swap Meet and the Los Banos Flea Market. He was always one of the vendors’ best customers. Tom was always willing to support and mentor those he was close to.

Tom and Joyce’s love for the outdoors and the mountains took them to many places. From cabins over the years in Bass Lake, Bear Valley, Beasore, and to their beloved Le Boat in Don Pedro. Their family treasured weekends spent water skiing and being together. Tom and Joyce integrated themselves into each community and made lifelong friends throughout every adventure.

Eventually, each adventure led him to develop a piece of property where he built a lake to farm catfish, and later expanded into clementine farming—delighting friends and family each Christmas with bags of fruit.

A devoted family man, Tom supported his family wholeheartedly and took great joy in his grandchildren’s and great-grandchildren's milestones—from teaching them to water ski to sitting in the stands at events or watching them walk into their next life chapter. He showed up with a smile on his face and an encouraging heart.

Tom knew the Lord and found comfort in his faith. He will be dearly missed.

He is survived by his wife Joyce; three children Tami Thomson (Gy), Shari Allen (Kevin) and Shane Stillman (Mickee); Brother Stan Stillman (Ann); Sister-in-Law Eldine Stillman; nine grandchildren; Nicole (Clayton), Carlee (Dalton), Ty, Blake (Crystalle), Chloe (Tyler), Tommy (Kelly), Shelby (Colby), Sasha (future Adam), and Sawyer; twelve great-grandchildren: Conley, Hayden, Valerie, Tate, Corben, Jackson, Weston, Brayden, Bennett, Beau, Eloise and Lettie.

Services and memorial details will be shared with family and friends.

Those wishing to honor Tom’s memory are invited to make a donation to Planada Community Church.

P.O. Box 247

Planada, CA 95365

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.whitehurstsullivan.com for the Stillman family.