Allan Tiso

Allan Tiso, a self-taught engineer, inventor, and artist died in California in December 2018 at the age of 79.

Allan was born Jan. 4, 1939 in the Bronx borough of New York City. In 1950 his parents moved to the town of Babylon on the south shore of Long Island, New York. It was there that Allan developed his life-long love of the ocean.

After a brief stint in the Army where he trained as a combat engineer, Allan followed his father into the plastic molding business. He worked as a manufacturing engineer for several companies. In 1986 he started his own business designing and manufacturing medical devices. He invented an allergy testing device that is currently used in clinical application throughout the United States.

Allan pursued many interests in life. He became a certified SCUBA diver, and in 1971, he traveled to Australia to fulfill his dream of diving on the Great Barrier Reef. Allan’s adventuring was not limited to just the land and sea. In 1972, he acquired his private pilot certificate. He said that flying was as wonderful as gliding beneath the sea.

Tired of harsh New York winters, in 1977 Allan moved his family to a five-acre avocado grove in Fallbrook, where he lived for 41 years. Allan loved the countryside and California weather and believed that one measure of his success was the ability to raise his family in such a beautiful place.

In addition to being a gifted engineer, Allan pursued artistic interests. He made stained glass panels and also designed and built metal-work lamps that featured his own custom glass shades. His artwork was displayed and sold at shows throughout California.

Allan was never afraid to take a new road. He believed that people should follow their dreams to fruition. As he advised his children, “The future will be changed by the things that you do, not the dreams that you have. Dreams are how your soul expresses desire, but only your actions make the desire real.”

He is survived by his high-school sweetheart and wife of 58 years, Tina; his brother John; his four children and 11 grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church in Fallbrook, Friday, Feb. 22, at 10:30 a.m.