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John Thomas Tiff, age 66 passed away on February 3, 2010, after a courageous battle with cancer. He was born November 26, 1943 in York, Nebraska to Floyd Arthur Tiff and Rosa Virginia Morgan Tiff. He grew up in Berwyn, NE and went to high school in Broken Bow, NE. He is preceded in death by his father Floyd Arthur Tiff and a son Steven Burl Tiff. He is survived by his wife Kay Lorraine Tiff, a daughter Anita Louise Schauer of Alvin, TX, a grandson Isaac Thomas Schauer, his mother Rosa Virginia Tiff of Broken Bow, NE, a brother Roy Edward Tiff, his wife Sharon Luana of Boonville, MO, a sister Mary Janelle Critchfield, her husband Clif of Macy, NE, a sister-in-law Ellen Louise Ring and her husband Ronald Ring of Ft.Collins, CO.

He married Kay Lorraine Ward in Hot Springs, South Dakota on June 5, 1965. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Chadron State College, Chadron, NE in 1966. In July of 1967, he began a lifetime career as Historian for the National Park Service. His career began at Grand Canyon National Park, AZ and continued at Edison National Historic Site, NJ; Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, IN; Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site, Washington D.C. and Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, TX.

For 24 years from 1977 to 2001, John served as an EMT with the North Blanco County EMS. He was always on call Friday nights, but was ready to respond any time he was needed, and he did!

John retired in July 2001. He and his wife, Kay began RV’ing and in the next eight years, they volunteered over 12,000 hours for National Parks, which included Amistad National Recreation Area, TX; Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, MI; Fort Laramie National Historic Site, WY; Big Thicket National Preserve, TX; Devils Tower National Monument, WY; Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, AZ; Homestead National Monument of America, NE; LBJ National Historic Park, TX and D.C. Booth National Historic Fish Hatchery, SD.

A Memorial service will be held at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church; 601 W. Creek Street, in Fredericksburg, TX on February 13, 2010 at 2 pm. It was his wish that any Memorial Donations be sent or given to the North Blanco County EMS in Johnson City, TX.