Tim Landis 1951-2018, A-J 1969 Class, Information furnished by A-J Classmate and Friends.

Tim Landis was born November 19, 1951 in Anna, Illinois and Died January 2, 2018. Tim Landis, the business editor of The State Journal-Register in Springfield, died unexpectedly early Tuesday at his home in Chatham. He was 66. Landis covered a wide variety of topics, including business, agriculture, economic development and land use. "Tim's passing leaves a huge hole in the SJ-R's institutional knowledge, given how much he knew about so many local issues," said Executive Editor Angie Muhs. "But it leaves a far bigger hole in the newsroom's heart because he was such a positive, wonderful colleague." Landis' wife of 36 years, Debra, said her husband had no known health problems and exercised - including regular walks with his beloved dog, Chandler - and his unexpected death was peaceful. "He had a smile on his face, and his glasses were still on, and he had been reading a book," she said. Kelsey Landis, his daughter, said Tuesday afternoon that an autopsy revealed that her father died of a sudden massive heart attack. Landis "loved to bike," his wife said, and she had bought him a new hybrid bicycle for Christmas. "He was so excited," she said. "He was looking forward to trying that out." "He was just joking yesterday," she added, that "'I can't retire because I can't do anything around the house. It's good I love my job.'" Tim Landis, the State Journal-Register business editor, is pictured May 5.Chris Hembrough, president and CEO of The Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce, called Landis a "good friend to business and always a true professional. " What a loss," Hembrough said. "He had such a love for our community and a genuine desire to learn about the latest business happenings, not only to do his job, but to see if and how he could be of assistance." Landis' final story, an article about new development on North Grand Avenue, was the lead article on the SJ-R's front page the morning of his death. Landis joined the SJ-R as a legal affairs reporter in 1995. He previously was Statehouse bureau chief for Gannet News Service and business editor of the Rockford Register Star. He also covered politics and government for The Southern Illinoisan in Carbondale. He was a native of Anna and a graduate of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. His first journalism job, at 16, was covering sports for a newspaper in Anna-Jonesboro, and he also worked for a radio station there, covering sports and news and serving as a disc jockey, his wife said. He was a drummer dating back to sixth grade and played in a total of three bands, performing several years past high school. He loved jazz and "any kind of rock and roll," his wife said, and still would play drums in the garage. In addition to his wife and daughter, he is survived by a son, Matt, and his wife, Ellie; and a granddaughter, Adaline. His parents, Ann and Floyd Landis of Anna, also survive. Journalism runs in the Landis family. Tim and Debra met at The Southeast Missourian in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and she freelanced at the SJ-R before going into journalism education at the University of Illinois Springfield, where she was the adviser of the student newspaper. Kelsey Landis is a reporter at the Belleville News-Democrat, and she and her father were able to work alongside each other while covering the total eclipse in southern Illinois on Aug. 21 for their respective newspapers. "It was pretty cool to work next to Kelsey the day of the event and watch her go about the business of journalism," Tim Landis said at the time. Kelsey Landis, 29, said when she started doing freelance articles just a few years ago, both parents helped, including her father editing "every single one of my early stories," sending along comments and suggestions. "Some of the best rules that he taught me still stick with me today," she said. And the eclipse coverage was a memorable, she said. "It was so cool to be able to work with him side-by-side and to see something so special," Kelsey Landis said. "We had so many special moments. He was so attentive to me and my brother. ... I'm so proud to be able to continue that journalism legacy, and I know he was proud of me and also proud of my brother ... because we were both in professions that helped people or protected people. "Dad just had such a love for other people, and he saw beauty in things that other people didn't see, and he was so interested in everything, and that kind of curiosity is just invaluable," Kelsey Landis said. Matt, 32, lives with his wife and daughter in Kent, Washington, and works as a housing stability specialist with an agency serving homeless people and families. He and his father shared a love for the St. Louis Cardinals and much more. "I could not have asked for a better father," Matt Landis said. "He was present in every way - spiritually, emotionally, socially. He was a wonderful, wonderful provider. And he was one of my best buddies. ... He was fully present and engaged in our lives from the moment we were born to the time the Lord took him. We're so grateful for him." Muhs said that something that stands out in her mind was how Landis was "still so enthusiastic about journalism and about embracing new technologies. "Another thing is how generous he was with younger reporters and helping them with sources and advice," Muhs said. And she recalled "how proud he was of Debbie and Matt and Kelsey." That eclipse coverage, Muhs believes, was a highlight of Landis' career - a career that included awards along the way, met with humility. "In typical fashion," Muhs said of the eclipse story, "when he came back, he told me Kelsey had done a better story than he had." She added that Landis was "unflappable," rarely ever seeming upset or flustered in her 3 1/2 years at the paper. She noted how he would sometimes bring popcorn and other treats to the newsroom for his colleagues. And, she said, he had "deep integrity. He cared about being fair and getting things right. He really did care about this community, and I think that's why he made such human connections." Springfield Mayor Jim Langfelder said Landis "kept me on task," during interviews, seeking the facts, which he then accurately reported. He said Landis was "kind of like an institution within The State Journal-Register itself. ... It's a great loss for the SJ-R." Norm Sims, who retired Dec. 29 as executive director of the Springfield-Sangamon County Regional Planning Commission, said Landis would be "terribly missed." "He was one of the most knowledgeable people in this area related to business and industry," Sims said. Sean Crawford, news director at WUIS, said Landis' radio experience came through during his weekly business reports on the station, which went on for nearly a decade. "He was very good, very succinct at explaining these sometimes complicated issues," Crawford said, adding that a survey a few years back showed the Landis segments to be among the most popular on the station. And while reporters can be cynical, Crawford said, Landis was "just a positive guy." "I think he really enjoyed being a journalist," Crawford said. Debra Landis said her husband was her "best friend." "We shared a common love of the news and of the profession of journalism, and we liked the same movies. We liked the same TV shows. And he was a great dad and husband. "He loved what he did, and he was really, really good at it," she said. Kirlin-Egan & Butler Funeral Home is handling arrangements. Visitation, with services to follow, is tentatively planned for 10 a.m. Saturday at Grace Lutheran Church, 714 E. Capitol Ave., Springfield, Debra Landis said.