John Timothy Palsa, (known to all as Tim, and to his girls as Big Daddy), age 86, of Carlisle, Arkansas, passed away on Tuesday, March 31st, 2026. Tim was born January 27, 1940 in Carlisle, Arkansas to the late John Edward Palsa and Carra Palsa Mitchell. He graduated from Dumas High School and attended A&M at Monticello (now UAM) on a football scholarship before he was activated into the Army during the Berlin Crisis. Upon his return, instead of finishing his last year of college he pursued one of the two loves of his life. One was farming and that December of 1962 he finally convinced the greatest love of his life to marry him, Sue. Nine years later (and anyone who knows him would attest to this) his new favorite person would make her grand entrance into this world, his daughter, Melanie. Almost ten years later, his partner in crime who would make every footstep he made ask a steward of the land joined his family, his son John Leslie. Tim was a lifelong and faithful steward of the land farming first in the Delta of Dumas where he was known for his exceptional rice crops, along with cotton and soybeans and later in Carlisle where he farmed rice, soybeans and wheat. He instilled in his family the value that “they aren’t making anymore land” so take care of it. Tim never met a stranger, would give you the shirt off his back, loved to travel world wide, loved a good equipment auction, classic cars, flying one of his many airplanes, driving a motorcycle, parachuting, and making his family happy. He was especially proud of his three beautiful granddaughters. One of his favorite sayings was “I always get the last word in with Miss Sue! I say, “Yes ma’am!”
Tim was preceded in death by his son, John Leslie Palsa; his parents, John Edward Palsa and Carra Palsa Mitchell; his sister, Joy Palsa Mason; his brother, James Edward Palsa; and brother-in-law, Wm. A. Mason, Jr. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Sue Palsa; his daughter, Melanie Palsa of Carlisle; his three granddaughters, Madeleine Palsa Dilley (Allen) of Olive Branch, MS, Olivia and Nina Catherine Brown of Starkville, MS; his faithful friend and companion of 11 years, Terry Norton; and his caregiver of five years, Ranae Ramsey, both of Carlisle. He is also survived by a host of relatives and friends worldwide.
Services for Tim will be Friday, April 3, 2026 with visitation beginning at 1:00 P.M. until 2:00 P.M.; Funeral services will begin at 2:00 P.M. following the visitation and will be held at the First Methodist Church in Carlisle, Arkansas. Interment will be in the Carlisle Cemetery.
Arrangements are entrusted with Westbrook Funeral Home of Hazen, Arkansas.