R Haskell Tison Jr.

R Haskell Tison, Jr

11/16/1942 – 5/11/26

R Haskell “Hack” Tison, Jr., 83, passed away on May 11, 2026, surrounded by his loved ones. Born November 16, 1942, in Marshall, Missouri, Hack lived a life defined by fierce competition and deep devotion to his family.

A 6’ 11” standout at Geneva (Ill.) High School - where he was named a Parade All-American and later inducted to the Illinois Basketball Hall of Fame — Hack went on to play center for the Duke Blue Devils from 1961 to 1965 under legendary coach Vic Bubas. He was a cornerstone of one of the great eras in Duke basketball history.  Culminating in 1964, with the Blue Devils first ever appearance in the NCAA Championship Game.   Hack loved to boast that he won the opening tip against the legendary, John Wooden led, UCLA Bruins, before slyly admitting that was all his team won that night. He would earn All-ACC honors that year.

 While he was selected by the Boston Celtics in the 1965 NBA Draft, Hack chose a more lucrative (at least in the ‘60s) path — one that led first to IBM, where he worked until 1972, and then to a four-decade career with Century Furniture Company. He became a fixture in the furniture industry, where he developed deep friendships and connections that lasted the rest of his life.

 Away from work, Hack was a man of purposeful leisure. He was an avid golfer, (200 rounds a year in Central Indiana is no mean feat!) and tennis player who brought the same competitive drive to the course and court that had defined his playing days at Duke. He was also a voracious reader — the kind of man who was never without a book and who carried hard-earned knowledge lightly and did a great job of developing the vocabulary of his children and grand-children with words that would disconcert even the best SAT proctor.

 Hack passed on his competitive spirit to his kids and grandkids and loved to watch them compete – whether it was music recitals, cross-country meets, basketball and football games, soccer or lacrosse, he was a tall fixture in the crowd, whose voice could be heard by his offspring – whether it was support, the occasional admonishment of the officials, or strongly encouraging them to “Use the board.”   

 Hack was hard to miss — his height alone made sure of that — but he never needed to be the center of attention. He had a quiet way of making others feel seen, heard, and important, always happy to let someone else shine. Still, whether through a sly joke, a few thoughtful words, or simply his steady presence, he left an impression everywhere he went. He will be deeply missed.

Hack is survived by his beloved wife, Cindra L. Tison; his children, Gene Tison Hammond (Tim), R Haskell Tison III, Ashley Davidson “TJ” Tison (Christy), and B “Beau” Cooper Tison (Marian); his grandchildren, Taylor Gianelli (Jake), Tara Tison, Trinity Tison, Thierry Tison, Timber Tison, Ashley Davidson “Dave” Tison II, Fisher Tison, Mowbray Tison, Graham Tison, Maclane Tison, and W “Whit” Haskell Tison; his great-grandchildren Gentry Gianelli and Gemma Gianelli; his siblings, Christina Berry, Allan Tison, Rebecca Gremore, and Bruce Tison.

Hack’s family will honor him in a private celebration of life service.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Autism Strong Organization.

The Tison Family has entrusted arrangements to Roseboro's Mortuary & Crematory.

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