About Tyson's Corners Founders
Tyson's Corners Retreat Center was founded by Chaplain (LTC-Retired) Gene Tyson and his wife Judy Tyson. Gene always had a passion for helping soldiers and upon retirement in 1996 from 20 years as a US Army Chaplain, he focused his energies on helping Army families through deployments and reintegration. Tyson's Corners Retreat Center was opened in 2001 in an effort to continue to assist his Chaplain family by providing a place for Chaplains and their Soldiers to come for retreat and healing. On December 22, 2012 Gene went home to his Heavenly Father after battling Multiple Myeloma cancer for several years. On June 13, 2018 he was joined in Heaven by his beloved bride, Judy, who battled lung disease for 3 years. Their legacy lives on at Tyson's Corners and the vision their Heavenly Father gave them many years ago is still present and honored. Now run by their youngest daughter, Joanna, and son-in-law, Chris, they share Gene and Judy's passion and vision for helping their military and civilian communities.
The Stewardship of Tyson's Corners Retreat Center
Joanna & Chris Dunlap
Joanna & Chris met in the fall of 2014 at a healing retreat in a small town in east Texas. A serendipitous meeting, their friendship began to instantly heal their own grieving hearts. Neither was a stranger to loss in their young lives and they quickly found refuge in each other's love and their hope to continue to steward Tyson’s Corners Retreat Center as a healing place for God’s people.
As well as devoted to each other, they are also devoted parents to their blended family of 3 adult children and their young daughter they share together. Their commitment to God and family are values they nurture individually and together.
Joanna spent 13 years working in the field of Equine Assisted Services as an equine professional who worked alongside licensed therapists and military Chaplains to facilitate healing retreats for Soldiers and equine assisted therapy for clients. Her trauma informed training is something that continues to serve her well in all areas of her personal and professional life. In 2021 Joanna decided to also focus on giving back to the horses that helped so many people heal by starting an equine rescue, named Rescue Rio. It is named after a horse, Rio, who came into her life in need of much care and healing. Rescue Rio has found a home at Tyson’s Corners Retreat Center and has become a sanctuary for several horses.
Following in her parents' footsteps, Joanna runs the day to day operations of Tyson's Corners Retreat Center. Upholding the founding principles that her parents instilled early on for the retreat center is her focus, as well as adding her own gifts for caring for horses and providing a place for others to care and learn about them too.
Christopher is a retired U.S. Army Sergeant First Class, Disabled Veteran, and committed husband and father. During his 16.5 year career as an Infantryman, Christopher deployed three times to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and twice to Kuwait. While serving in the U.S. Army, he served in numerous leadership positions and earned several awards to include two Bronze Stars (one for Valor), two Meritorious Service Medals, three Army Commendation Medals (one for Valor), The Order of Saint Maurice, as well as Combat Infantryman’s and Expert Infantryman’s Badges. Christopher was medically retired from Active Duty in November of 2012, and now helps to oversee the day to day operations and maintenance of Tyson’s Corners Retreat Center. In addition to that he is an expert hunting guide in the Lampasas area, and a part time ranch manager for other local ranchers.
Chris and Joanna continue to steward Tyson's Corners Retreat Center as a place for people to gather, rest, heal and grow. They pray for it to be a place for people to find the love of God flowing throughout, and for it to be a place for their community to gather and connect with God and each other.
"Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Matthew 11:28-30
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Matthew 11:28-30