On Thursday, March 26, at 7:46 a.m., Tim Tanno, Sr., lost the battle to cancer after a six-year fight. Since his diagnosis, he never put down the gloves and always kept the ones he loved close.

Tim grew up in Santa Clara. In his twenties he started working for Lassen Volcanic National Park. After six seasons, he transferred to Redwood National Park, where he worked for the remainder of his 35-year career. When he moved to Orick he met the love of his life, Betsy. At the time, Betsy was working at the Orick Market, and Tim would walk to the store to see her every day. When Tim asked Betsy to go out on a date, she expected they would be walking somewhere. She was very surprised when he pulled up in a brand-new Chevy Step-Side.

Tim and Betsy shared 46 years and were married for 45 of them. They had three sons (Nicholas, Joseph and Timothy Jr.), three grandchildren (Joseph Jr., Olivia and Nicholas). Tim raised his sons to be outdoorsmen. He taught all three of them to hunt, fish and respect and enjoy the outdoors the way he did. He first started fishing when he was 10 years old. When he was 16, he learned how to hunt deer from his dad, Nicholas and godfather, Bill. He hunted every season from then on. There is no place he would rather be than up in the “piney woods” with his boys.

Tim is survived by his wife, children, grandchildren and daughters-in-law, Crissy Tanno and Amanda Fox. He is survived by extended family, including Bob and Shen Secor; Julie, Jay Adams and family; Bobby, Owens Secor and family; Anthony, Danessa Secor and family; Ben and Niki Secor; Andy Good; Ashlee, Justin Barragan and family; the Lane family; and the Dahn family.

He is preceded in death by his mother, Dorothy Tanno; his father, Nicholas Tanno; his mother-in-law, Constance Secor; his father-in-law, Bob Secor; his brother, Gary Tanno; son, Nicholas Tanno; and sister-in-law, Patti Dahn.

A special thank you to the Harpe, Ellis, Bray and the Murrell families for being there for us in our time of need.

From Tim himself: “Thank you all for being in my life. I love you all more than you will ever know. I am standing on a mountain. If you need me, I will be there. Thank you, Betsy for being in my life, and for all the love we shared. I love you.”

We will be holding a memorial ceremony Prairie Creek State Park in June 2026.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Tim Tanno Sr.’s family. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.