WILBERT LOUIS TIESIERA

WILBERT TIESIERA ObituaryObituary published on Legacy.com by Sterling & Smith Funeral Directors Inc. - Tulare on Mar. 16, 2026.Will Louis Tiesiera was born on July 21, 1927, to parents Alfred "Fritz" Tiesiera and Christine Gaspar in Oakland, California. A natural athlete with a competitive spirit and a generous heart, Will graduated from Castlemont High School in Oakland in 1945 before going on to pursue a career in professional baseball. He played for the Salt Lake City Bees, the Yakima Bears, and the San Francisco Seals, years that shaped not only his character but the course of his entire life.It was during his time with the Bees in Salt Lake City that Will met Clarice Mae Vining, a nursing school graduate with a passion for caring for others. They married on October 24, 1948, in Oakland, California, and what followed was 72 years of a deep, loving partnership and friendship. Will loved to play her songs on the piano, and their love grew through a shared devotion to music, family, and one another.After his playing days, Will channeled the same work ethic he brought to baseball into the automotive business, working at dealerships throughout the San Francisco Bay Area before he and Clarice set their sights on something of their own. In November 1983, they opened Will Tiesiera Ford on South K Street in Tulare, California, and in doing so, found the community they would call home for the rest of their lives. As the dealership grew, so did their roots in Tulare. Will relocated the business to its current home at 2101 E. Cross Avenue in 1997, and in 2010, Will Tiesiera Ford was named Tulare's Large Business of the Year by the Tulare Chamber of Commerce.Will understood what his employees and customers needed. He treated people with compassion and integrity, and that reputation followed him everywhere he went. He was named Business Man of the Year in 1995, a recognition that reflected both his success, and more importantly, the way he conducted himself in everything he did.Beyond the dealership, Will was a proud member of the Tulare Elks Club and a dedicated member of the Tulare Rotary Club, where he served as Club President during the 1991-1992 year. He and his fellow Rotarians founded the Rotary Crab Feed in 1996, a beloved tradition that continues to this day after thirty years running. Will and Clarice also supported the Tulare District Hospital Foundation's Christmas Tree Auction, the Tulare Youth Boxing Club, the Lighthouse Rescue Mission, Tulare's Senior Citizen Center, and countless youth sports teams, relentlessly showing up for causes and people who needed it most.He was a man who understood that leadership meant investing in others. He supported start-up projects and emerging leaders not for recognition, but because he believed in people and wanted to see them succeed.Will also knew how to truly enjoy life. He and Clarice traveled the world alongside their Rotary friends, collecting memories and stories that their family and friends have heard and loved hearing many times over. In 2007 and 2008, Will checked two bucket list items off his list, attending the Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta, Georgia with his sons Randy and Lonnie, and then traveling to Scotland with them and his nephew Danny to play golf on the courses he'd long admired. He loved golf, baseball, and a good story, and he was never short of any of them.Will passed away on February 26, 2026, in Visalia, California. He lived a full, meaningful life built on principle, generosity, and an unwavering love for his family. He is survived by his five children, Randall (Sue) Tiesiera, Kristine (Tom) Walker, Ann (Jim) Parrish, Lonnie (Laurie) Tiesiera, and Rebecca Xepoleas; his 12 grandchildren, Kevin, Ryan, Tiffany, Daniel, Brian, Jennifer, Donald, Josh, Jennae, Chris, Nick, and Sophia; and his 18 great-grandchildren, Linka, Dezso, Caroline, Avery, Lila, Christian, Aiden, June, Ryder, Maverick, Cash, Jeremy, Khloe, Kallie, Leighton, Lauren, Grace, and Christopher, Jr.He was a family man at his core. He will be missed dearly, but his legacy in his family, his community, and in all the lives he quietly shaped, will live on.Will's celebration of life will take place at 11am, Thursday, March 26, 2026 at Tulare Veterans Memorial Building, located at 1771 East Tulare Ave, Tulare Ca. 93274.In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations to one of the following foundations:Salt + Light: https://www.saltandlightworks.org/giveTulare Lighthouse: https://www.lighthouserescue.org/donateTo plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.