Herbert Ray "Herb" Tilley

Herbert Ray Tilley, born March 19, 1946, passed away unexpectedly on November 26, 2025. He was the son of Rufus Tilley and Eva Inez (Smallwood) Tilley. Friends and family fondly knew him as Herb.

Herb married the love of his life, Carlene, in 1980, and together they shared a life full of laughter, devotion, and adventure. He was immensely proud of his four girls, Ali, Lisa, Angi, and Mandy, and found his greatest joy in being "Poppy" to his three grandchildren, Haley, Nathan, and Hattie Jo.

He grew up on the family farm in Stecker, Oklahoma, and attended the local elementary school and Broxton High School (on the days he and his brother, Jim, weren't hopping off the school bus to sneak into town and spend afternoons at the pool hall trying to hustle a few bucks and see how much mischief they could get away with). Herb graduated from Southwestern Oklahoma State University and spent many years running his own bricklaying business before moving to Texas, where he taught at Graford Elementary for over 20 years. Often the only male teacher on campus, he was affectionately known as "Mister," a name still remembered fondly by generations of Jackrabbits.

In his younger years, Herb enjoyed hunting and had a lifelong love of wildlife. That passion naturally grew into what could only be called an extensive gun collection. Some might say he collected more than he could ever shoot, but he insisted each one had its place, even if only to admire.

Herb lived life at one speed–slow. He moved slow, talked slow, and approached the world in a laid-back, unhurried way that became his trademark. He could visit for hours, laugh easily, listen deeply, and always took the long way around. Everyone who knew him loved him all the more for it.

After retirement, Herb and Carlene embraced a life well lived. They traveled to visit family, cruised the ocean, spent summers in the mountains, and never turned down a quick trip to the casino. His wit, warmth, and gentle humor touched everyone around him, and he will be missed more than words can express.

He is preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Jim.

Herb is survived by his wife Carlene; his four girls, Ali Gallo (Ben) of Guthrie, Oklahoma, Angi Tilley of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Lisa Phifer of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Mandy Roane (Jed) of Fort Davis, Texas; and his cherished grandchildren: Haley, Nathan, and Hattie Jo. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews and their families, and his brother-in-law, Mike McNeill of Binger, Oklahoma.

A Celebration of Life in honor of Herb will be held at 10:00 A.M., Friday, January 2, 2026, at Remnant Church, 2423 W. Noble Avenue, Guthrie, Oklahoma 73044, fulfilling his wish to return home to Oklahoma. Services are under the direction of Smith-Gallo Funeral Home, 220 North 1st Street, Guthrie, Oklahoma 73044.

Friends may sign the online guestbook at www.smithgallo.com.