Reverend David J. Tilley

1939 - 2021

Reverend David J. Tilley, born 1939 in Jersey City, NJ, passed away peacefully and joyfully on Dec. 8, 2020 from Parkinson's. Memorial service: 11 a.m. June 12, 2021 at St. Luke's Episcopal Church on 8833 Goodwood Blvd. Baton Rouge, LA 70806. David was one of the original young men who started Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity at LSU in 1960. He graduated from Slidell High in 1957 and LSU in 1961. David and family moved to Sewanee, TN in 1967 for David to attend Seminary at The University of the South, which he completed in 1970. He ministered at Good Shepherd in Lake Charles and was ordained in 1971. He then ministered at St. Augustine's in Baton Rouge for 7 years until he had a serious fall at his family camp and lost his leg. He later helped minister at St. Timothy's in LaPlace. He continued his weight-lifting, silly jokes, and enjoyment of LSU and Saints football throughout his serious health battles. He was preceded in death by brothers Fred Tilley (2009) and Lon Tilley (2018), birth mother Mary Ryan Tilley (1942), adoptive mother Madeleine Planchon Tilley (2019), father Louis Tilley (2012), aunt Louise Tilley (1979), niece Ginny McPherson (1990), nephew John Lemoine (2012) and brother-in-law Dr. Joseph Lemoine (2014). He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Carole Lemoine Tilley, sister Michele Fry (John Nagle) sisters-in-law Linda McPherson (Carl), Hannah Lemoine, cousins Marie Bond (Wayne), Lois Horan-Albritton (Larry), children, Anne OConnor-Smith (Mike), David Ryan Tilley (Liezl), Dr. Margo T. Frey (Greg); nieces and nephews Nathan T. Fry, Scott Tilley, James Tilley, Melynda Kirkus, Jennifer Tilley-Voegtle, Heather Tilley, Melinda Peterson, Carl McPherson III, Betty Achey; grandchildren, Caitlin, Kristin and Connor Frey, Dylan Tilley, Blake and Kelsey O'Connor, Laura Miller, Jennifer Diaz, Katie Smith, Melissa DeStefano. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to NNPDF.org/fundraising/make-a-donation/ or a charity of your choice.