John Gordon Tillotson Jr.

John was born June 11, 1942 in Pontiac, Michigan, to John Gordon and Ruby (Supernaw) Tillotson. He grew up in Petoskey and graduated from St. Francis Xavier High School in 1960. After graduation from North Central Michigan College in 1962, he earned a degree in Pharmacy in 1967 from Ferris State College, where he was a proud member of Kappa Psi fraternity. John was a pharmacist at Spencer’s Drug Store in Mt. Pleasant before he purchased Wonderland Pharmacy in Grand Rapids, MI and worked there from 1980-1985. In 1989, up to his retirement in 2009, John owned and operated Dorr Community Pharmacy.

He will be remembered as a caring and giving person who was always community minded - providing the use of his cars in the Dorr community parades, donating dozens of turkeys every year at Thanksgiving, and many other kind deeds he never mentioned. He enjoyed classic cars and was especially proud of his 1957 Ford and 1955 Cadillac, which represented cars his father had owned. John always talked about how very lucky he was to grow up in the small town of Petoskey and have the opportunity to spend time at the Belvedere Golf Club in Charlevoix with his grandfather, Frank Supernaw, who was Greenkeeper. John caddied as a teenager at the Wequetonsing Golf Club in Harbor Springs and enjoyed playing golf himself.

His retirement included traveling to many parts of the world, spending winters in Arizona, and enjoying his home on Blue Lake in the summers. He would say that he had a good life. Pulmonary fibrosis may have ravaged his lungs, but his spirit and determination never wavered.

He will be deeply missed by his loving and devoted wife of 22 years Dietre Tillotson; children, John K. Tillotson (Maria) of Hudsonville, Michigan, and Tamara Gipson of Granada Hills, California; his grandchildren who were very special to him and made him so proud: Andrea, Isabella and John Alexander Tillotson; and Dietre's sons, Benjamin (Paula) Riecks of Finland, Douglas (Cynthia) Riecks and Brian (Elina) Riecks of Phoenix, Arizona and Grandchildren, Emma, Nooa, D.J. Derrek, Branson, Luke and Noel; and his brothers and sisters Francis E. (Barbara) Tillotson of Santa Barbara, California, Mary (George) Helliesen of Dutton, Virginia, Michael R. (Vickie) Tillotson of St. Johns, Michigan, Martha R. (David) Radle of Harbor Springs, Michigan, Monica LaPlant of Gaylord, Michigan, and Mark C. (Valerie) Tillotson of Wayland, Michigan.

No one could have asked for a better husband, brother, dad, grandfather or friend.

Visitation for John will be held from 4 - 8 p.m. on Friday, December 29, 2017 at the Cook Funeral Home (West building), 4235 Prairie St., S.W., Grandville, Michigan, with a Vigil at 7:30 p.m. Friday evening. Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 11 a.m. Saturday, December 30 at St. John Paul II Church, 3110 - 17 Mile Road, Cedar Springs, Michigan with Rev. Lam Le presiding.

Memorial contributions in memory of John may be made to Ferris State University College of Pharmacy - Class of 1967 College of Pharmacy Endowed Scholarship Fund and the American Lung Association (Rheumatoid Lung Fibrosis).