Nathan Tutwyler Obituary

Tutwyler, Nathan Beloved husband and father, Nathan Tutwyler made his final transition on Friday, May 23, 2014. After a long battle with liver disease, Nathan's final moments in this life came at the University of Chicago hospital, with his wife, Rolisa, and a caring medical team by his side. Nate, as he was known by friends and family, was 51 years old. He was born on January 25, 1963, in Richmond, Virginia. He was the adopted son of the late Willie Mae and Bernard Tutwyler, later becoming the dear child of Junius Banks, all of Buckingham County, Virginia. He is survived by his siblings, Nannie Jones and her husband, Reverend Maynard Jones, and Payton Tutwyler and his wife Grace. He is predeceased by older brothers, Charlie and Robert Tutwyler. Nate lived most of his years in Virginia, but raised his youngest children for the last decade on Chicago's Southside. Nate is survived by his adored wife, Rolisa Harris Tutwyler, whom he married November 20, 1999. Rolisa and Nate first met in high school, but it was when he showed up as the driver of her moving truck in 1997, when romance first blossomed between them. Together they raised four extraordinary children, Catherine Smith (24), Christina Smith (22), McKinnley Tutwyler (13), and Nathia Tutwyler (11). Nate is also survived by his children, Tamara Tutwyler (28) and Tyrane Tutwyler (24) of Buckingham, Virginia, and Jarvis Stovall (27) and his wife Angela of Portsmouth, Virginia. Nathan's three grandsons; three granddaughters; and a bevy of nieces and nephews will carry forth his legacy. A graduate of Buckingham County High School, Nate took great pride that one son is serving honorably in the United States Navy, and two daughters have earned their college degrees, one just days before his passing. Nate will be missed by friends and colleagues at the University of Chicago Press where he worked faithfully for more than ten years. And he will be mourned, celebrated and remembered by his church family at Hyde Park Vineyard church. In this life, Nate was a kind, gentle, and grateful soul. His adored family was the center of his world. He took great joy in simple pleasures of weekend fishing, playing with the family cat, Pandora, enjoying an ice cream cone bought in an actual ice cream parlor, or kicking back listening to reggae while eating spicy Jamaican food. Nate was thrilled when his family cared for his long and gorgeous locks and when they joined him in the spiritual journey of growing their own. He smiled when strangers commented on their hair and shared a thousand moments with his youngest son, daughters, and wife about the world's reaction to him. Like all God's children, Nate was imperfect, but he brought humor and light with him everywhere. At the moment of his transition, his passing was eased by having shared so much love and having left his family well cared and provided for in a home he labored his whole life to make possible. Nate will be remembered by all who knew him well and likely by many he met only once. He will be welcomed on the other side of this life by his Heavenly Father and his dearly departed friend, Michael, who went before him to prepare a place so many decades ago. Nathan's family, friends, and community will remember and celebrate his life on Tuesday, June 3, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. at the Hyde Park Vineyard Church at 1100 E. 55th Street, Chicago, Illinois. His brother and sister-in-law James and Melissa Perry have established a memorial fund in his name. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Nathan Tutwyler fund. The fund will support scholarships for African American boys. Galatians 5:22-23 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.