Aristide (Ty) Tessitore, 76, departed his earthly existence on January 3, 2026. Born on December 22, 1949 in Brooklyn, NY, he was the oldest son of John and Marilyn (Brunner) Tessitore.

He married the love of his life, Jennifer Rosenfeld Tessitore in 1995, and together they raised and adored their daughter, Abigail. Her marriage on September 6, 2025, was a most incredibly joyful celebration and gave him such a deep peace, knowing that his daughter would be loved and adored the way he thought she should be. He was fiercely passionate about his family, his fitness, his career and his love for learning.

One of his favorite sayings was, “May I grow old learning” and that, he certainly did. Ty spent most of his career in academia. He taught in the Politics and International Affairs Department at Furman University in Greenville, SC since 1992 where he served as the Jane Hipp Professor in Western and American Political Thought for several years. Ty loved teaching students who he described as “unfinished products” and challenged them to think critically about their most deeply held convictions. He made ancient texts come alive. He authored and edited many articles. While he produced two books, he had dreams of completing a book on the roots of contemporary politics as well as fictional literature but was unable to fulfill those dreams due to his first stroke in 2015 and its lingering effects. He also taught for many years at Assumption College, his Alma Mater in Worcester, MA, prior to coming to Furman.

Although he spent countless hours searching for knowledge and imparting wisdom, he also could be found searching for the perfect wave as a surfer as well as ascending many mountain peaks, including 40 4,000-footers in the great White Mountains of New Hampshire. It was part of his never-ending quest for transcendence. He and his wife and daughter continued their hiking adventures in the Carolinas as well as out West.

Predeceased by his parents, John and Marilyn Tessitore, and his mother-in-law Lois Rosenfeld, he leaves his wife, Jennifer, of Clemson, SC, and their daughter Abigail Jarrett (Aiden) of Atlanta, GA; his siblings, John (Dolores) of Princeton, MA, Susan Ristau (Stephen) of Manchester, CT, and Thomas (Monica) of Ashburnham; MA; his father-in-law Arnold Rosenfeld, brother-in-law John Rosenfeld (Laura), sister-in-law Mary D’Eramo (David), as well as many cousins, and nieces and nephews who loved him dearly.

His family is grateful to staff at Dominion Assisted Living at Patrick Square, NHC in Anderson, and Clemson Downs for their compassionate care of Ty over the past several months.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, January 18, 2026, at 2 pm at the Daniel Chapel on the campus of Furman University, Greenville, SC.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be directed to the Tessitore-Nelsen Furman Tocqueville Center Endowment Fund for the support of the Center he founded and which will stand as his enduring legacy at Furman University.

If you would like to make a donation, please follow this link- Tessitore-Nelson Furman Tocqueville Center Endowment Fund.