Obituary: Lyell C. Tullis

SEATTLE, WASH./JANESVILLE Lyell C. Tullis, at age 89, passed away on Thursday, June 17, 2003, and joined his beloved wife, Margaret, at a celebration of their 59th wedding anniversary at heaven's gate. At the celebration he was joined by his two, sisters, Alice and Helen; and his parents. Lyell was born on March 11, 1914, in Brooklyn, Wis., and attended Madison High School before pursuing his engineering degree at the University of Wisconsin. As a young mechanical engineer, he worked at Baker Manufacturing in Evansville, and then moved on to Gilman Engineering in Janesville. While there, in the early 1950s, he became chief engineer. In this position, he was instrumental in designing the "transfer assembly line," an automotive automatic assembly,, first in the auto industry. In the early 1960s, he became vice president and was very influential in many of Gilman's other engineering accomplishments. Under his authority he was able to expand the company's 25 engineers and draftsmen to around 100. To help give back to society, he was a member of the Kiwanis Club and an active member of St. John Vianney Catholic Church for over 30 years. As a beloved family member, he preceded his brother, Edgar; his nine children: Richard (Mary Kay) of San Francisco, twins, Jean and Judy, Mary, John (Kathy) of Seattle, Wash., Cathy (Tom) of Orlando, Fla., Michael (Nancy) of Houston, Texas, James and Allie; 14 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren to heaven's gates. He will be greatly remembered as a loving father and grandfather and a friend with a wonderful sense of humor. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 19, 2003, at ST. JOHN VIANNEY CATHOLIC CHURCH, Janesville. Following the service all are invited to join the family at a luncheon at Alfresco Cafe in the Best Western Motel on Highway 26 North, from noon until 2 p.m.

Originally published in the Wisconsn State Journal on July 15, 2003