John Tom Tilley

TILLEY WINSTON-SALEM - Mr. John Tom Tilley, 88, of Winston Salem, passed away Sunday, December 7, 2008 at Kate B. Reynolds Hospice Home. Mr. Tilley was born on March 29, 1920 in the Woodville Community near Mt. Airy, NC. He served in the United States Air Force during WW II from 1942 to 1946 in the Pacific Theater and was a self employed window treatment designer. He was a member of Ardmore Methodist Church, Elks Lodge 449, VFW Post 1134, and was an avid nature lover. He was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Nellie Hanks Tilley; four brothers, Monroe, Joel, Cecil, and Leggette; and a sister, Lavinia Tilley Gwyn. Surviving are his wife, Gay Evans Bell Tilley of the home; a sister, Marie Tilley Rogers; sister-in-law, Mildred Tilley; step-children, Sandra Bell Respess (Dick) of Lake Norman; Fred Bell Jr. of Winston-Salem; Jo Ann Bell Robinson (Wesley), Nancy Bell Johnson (Tony) of Clemmons; step-grandchildren, Ben Johnson of Clemmons, Amy Respess Schell (Nate) and their children, Callie Jo, Connor and Caylyn; Christy Respess Jones, all of Winston-Salem; and several special nieces and nephews. A Graveside Service will be conducted at 2 p.m. Tuesday, December 9, 2008 at Oakdale Cemetery in Mt. Airy with military honors provided by VFW Post 2019 of Mt. Airy and Post 9436 of Pilot Mountain. The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Monday at Hayworth-Miller Silas Creek Chapel. Memorials may be made to Forsyth Humane Society, 61 Miller St., Winston-Salem, NC 27104 or to Hospice & Palliative Care Center, 101 Hospice Lane, Winston-Salem, NC 27103. The family would like to express their gratitude for the many acts of kindness shown to Mr. Tilley and his family by the staff at Hospice.