He was born on February 22, 1928 in Redwater, Texas the first of five sons born to Ross and Mettie Tiller.
At the time of his death, he was an active member of First Christian Church, Nacogdoches.
Jeff is survived by his wife Melba Jean (Waters) Tiller of Nacogdoches and her children,
his son Mark Russell Tiller and wife Nan Marie of Baytown, his three grandchildren, Ashely Marie (Tiller) Trujillo and her husband Gabriel of Pearland, Spenser Harrison Tiller and his fiancé Mary Kate Thormahlen of San Antonio, Stuart Mitchell Tiller currently stationed in Germany with the US Army, his two surviving twin brothers, Glynn and Lynn Tiller and their wives, Stephana and Villa Jean, respectively both of Sattler.
He was predeceased by his parents, Ross and Mettie (Flemming) Tiller of Texarkana, his first wife of thirty-nine years Billye Frances (Smith) Tiller and his younger twin brothers Marvin and Irvin Tiller of Georgia at their time of death.
Services are under the direction of Cason Monk-Metcalf Funeral Directors of Nacogdoches.
Charlie Colgan-Senior Pastor of First Christian Church Nacogdoches will lead the services and his brother, Lynn Tiller will deliver a eulogy. Honorary Pallbearers are Spenser Tiller, Stuart Tiller, Gabriel Trujillo, Randy Garrett, Ricky Smith and Lee Smith
Services will be private due to Covid-19 restrictions and the desire to protect those who are in high risk categories who are attending or might normally attend.
An opportunity for friends and extended family to pay their respects will be Friday, July 10th from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at which time viewing will be open to the public (masks required) at Cason Monk-Metcalf Funeral Home. This will be a time for individuals to view the open casket, sign the register and see a presentation of selected pictures. There will not be a family visitation.
Jeff’s earthly body will be buried next to Billye’s gravesite in Thomas Cemetery in San Augustine County under a large sprawling oak tree in a Smith Family plot (many of you know the beauty of the location and know it to be the resting place of many of his beloved adopted Smith family).
In lieu of flowers, suggested recipients of donations are:
San Augustine Public Library Memorial Fund 413 E. Columbia St. San Augustine, Texas 75972
First Christian Church Benevolence Fund 702 N Mound St. Nacogdoches, Texas 75961
Christian Women’s Job Corp of Nacogdoches 902 SE Stallings DR. #4 Nacogdoches, Texas 75964
A loving and devoted: son, husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend, Jeff Tiller was appropriately described by a family friend as a man with “a friendly smile, displayed quiet confidence, always kind and gentle, not a lot of words but quick to find the humor in life.” He was a man of integrity and dependability who displayed a quite determination as he diligently faced the challenges of the day.
As a member of that “Greatest Generation”, after graduating from Texarkana High School, he served his country by joining the United States Army and served in the Occupation of Japan post WWII. After being Honorably discharged he and his best friend, Howard Thompson moved to Houston where Jeff worked for Shell Oil Company in labor gangs and then for the Telephone Company as a lineman while attending school at The University of Houston earning a BBA in accounting. It was during this period he met and married Billye Frances (Smith) on July 15, 1950. After graduating, he worked for Humble Oil Company in the accounting department for twenty years. While employed by Humble Oil, he passed the CPA exam and became a licensed Texas CPA (an active status he held for over sixty years). Upon leaving Exxon’s employment he and his wife formed the public accounting firm of Tiller and Company P.C., CPA’s and he remained active in that practice until age eighty.
In addition to his success in his chosen profession, he was an avid reader and historian with a deep studied knowledge of the US Civil War and World War II. He accumulated an extensive library and always would be reading several books at any given time. After Billye died in 1989 he married Melba Jean (Waters) on January 1, 1990. They enjoyed a thirty-year marriage until his death. After his marriage to Melba, they began traveling, participating in the Elderhostel program and Jeff accomplished his goal of attending a program in all fifty states (except North Dakota which had no offerings). In addition, his travels included all the Canadian maritime provinces plus England, Ireland, Scotland, Finland, and a Cruise from California through the Panama Canal.
Jeff was privileged to have shared a lasting friendship with four very special men during his lifetime. These four men, James Calfee who died in 2013 at age 80, Robert Thacker who died in 2019 at age 92, Ernest Easley who died in 2007 at age 80 and Louis Runnels who died in 2016 at age 96, were greatly missed by Jeff after their homegoing. These men possessed integrity and great character and Jeff enjoyed their company and companionship. We have faith that they now have been reunited just East beyond Heavens Twelve Gates (“For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” 1 Corinthians 13:12).
What follows is a compilation of memories composed by his brother.
Memories of My Brother, Jeff, (Bud) by Glynn Tiller
On the farm before we had to move off.
His helping Mama and Dad milk the cows when he was only 10, 11, or 12.
Dad teaching him to plow cotton behind Old Pearl and a “middle buster”.
His slopping hogs, feeding cows and the mules.
His running with Mama, Lynn and me to the “storm cellar” whenever
Mama would see a dark cloud in the sky.
His riding with Dad, Lynn and me into town to sell watermelons off the back of the old pickup truck.
His helping Dad put out the fire under the house with sand and water.
After we left the farm
His enduring bitterness at the government for having taken our farm.
His frustration at having to attend so many different schools: Hooks, Cooper, Redwater, Texarkana.
His playing football for Watty Myers and the Texas High Tigers in Texarkana.
His dating in high school of one Melba Jean Waters.
His disappointment at being turned down by the Navy for being color blind.
His being drafted by the Army since it didn’t care if you were color blind.
His telling of his tour of Japan in the army, after WWII.
After the Army
His wanting to go to college, frustration over where to go.
His moving to the Gulf Coast to accept a job with Shell Oil Co.
His hating shift work which kept him from enrolling in college.
His accepting a job with the telephone company which was a straight day shift.
His enrollment at Lee College in Baytown, Texas.
His going to work at Humble Oil Co. in Baytown.
His meeting in Baytown of a pretty girl from San Augustine, Billye Smith.
His wedding in Baytown to Billye Smith.
His finishing college at U. of Houston with a BBA.
Gaining his CPA certificate.
His anger at Humble Oil for telling him to drop his outside public accounting clients.
His telling Humble to jump in the lake and quitting his job with them.
His and Billye’s collect efforts to start his CPA firm in Baytown.
His and Billye’s welcoming of a baby son, Mark Russell Tiller.
His attempt to make an accountant of his brother Glynn, but failing,
As Glynn made “Ds” in the two beginning accounting courses.
But his eventual success at making an accountant out of his brother Lynn.
His many camping trips with Billye and Mark all over the US.
His and Billye’s encouragement of Mark to finish college at A&M,
And eventually to get his CPA certificate.
His asking Mark to join the firm, which he did, eventually taking over the helm as Jeff retired.
The passing of Billye, his beloved wife and mother of Mark.
His proud accomplishment of visiting every state in the union except Montana, which had no Elderhostel program, his love of travel. His asking Lynn, Villa and me to come to the Woodlands for a family conference and his announcement to us that he was engaged to a “girl” that he had dated in high school by the name of Melba Jean Waters, whom he married soon afterward.
His enduring interest in reading, especially biographies and history, our exchange of books.
His telling me that he had missed his calling, that he should have been a history teacher.
Our many conversations over the phone and at his farm about books we had read.
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