Nov. 11, 1919 - Aug. 20, 2008

William "Bill" Tisher, 88, passed away Wednesday in Salem.

After surviving a debilitating stroke in 1997, Bill was given loving care from his daughter, Kristin, for many years, until her passing last year. Bill spent the past year in a nursing home in Salem.

Bill was born in Tracy, Calif. He attended high school in Stockton, Calif., and by using his athletic abilities was awarded a basketball scholarship, upon which he graduated college in Stockton.

Bill will always be remembered for his deep love of the outdoors, and basketball. His ability to share his knowledge of all things natural through his weekly column, "The Outdoorsman," in the Tahoe Tribune, which for many years gave the community an insight into Bill's humor, wit and devotion to the things he loved doing: gardening, hunting, fishing and the true art of firewood cutting. And most of all, his family, many friends and the family critters were always included in his articles; in some important and humorous way. Everyone looked forward to the weekly column as a source of expert information.

Anyone that had the opportunity to visit the Tisher compound off of Al Tahoe Boulevard, just behind the school, were truly amazed at the beauty of the vegetable garden, the in-ground greenhouse, raspberry vines bulging with fruit, huge lush ferns, the greenest of lawns and many species of flowers, most of them indigenous to the Tahoe forest. And of course, the wood shed - huge and always filled with prime tamarack; his beloved, old yellow Ford wood truck parked on the side, where the stacks of gigantic rounds were "mellowing out."

Bill served the Forest Service of the Tahoe Basin as his career. This gave him the opportunity to know every dirt road and trail within the Tahoe Basin. Later, as he "retired," he worked for "The Outdoorsman" in the fishing and hunting department. His deep voice and bushy eyebrows gave any fishing or hunting tale he told a truer sense of adventure. He was a marvelous storyteller, able to captivate anyone with his narrative. A very tall man, with a strong wiry build, it was easy to imagine him in every one of his own adventures. He had amazing stories of Sasquatch, whom Bill truly believed exists.

Bill's love of Lake Tahoe, gave him the desire to share the physical beauty of the lake and surrounding mountains. The high Sierra peaks, valleys, meadows, streams and small lakes were made more accessible through Bill's knowledge of the Tahoe Basin and his willingness to devote his time to develop the Tahoe Rim Trail. As one of several "founding fathers," Bill and Vivian, his wife of 50 years, worked countless volunteer hours toward the trails concept and actual building. Bill served as board president for several terms.

Tired of deep snow, and wanting a longer growing season, Bill and Vivian moved to Scio onto beautiful hillside acreage in 1985.

Many friends and neighbors in Scio will always remember the Tisher's passion for gardening flowers, growing vegetables and gathering fruit from their own home-grown sources.

Bill is preceded in death by his wife, Vivian; son Michael; and daughter Kristin.

He is survived by two grandchildren, Jessica Dobbs and husband Randy of Kenai, Alaska, and Matthew Tisher of Anchorage, Alaska; four great-grandchildren, Elissia, Austin, Erin and Addison, of Kenai, Alaska.

No memorial services are announced at this time. Bill's family requests that donations be made to the Tahoe Rim Trail in Bill's memory. Donations may be sent to Tahoe Rim Trail, 948 Incline Village Way, Incline Village, NV 89415 or call (775) 298-0233 for assistance.