Billy Ray Tilley

Monday, January 11, 2016

Billey Ray Tilley, 85, of Monette passed away Jan. 8, 2016, at St. Bernards Medical Center. He was born to the late Charlie and Anna Vanzant Tilley in Buffalo City on Jan. 27, 1930. Billey Ray was a faithful member of First Assembly of God in Monette, he worked for 31 years for International Harvester as a mechanic and shop foreman and was also a member of the Monette Volunteer Fire Department for over 30 years serving as chief and as an EMT for almost 20 years. He will be remembered as a loving husband, brother, father and grandfather.

Survivors include his wife, Hazel Corter Tilley of the home; sons, Howard Tilley and wife Sandra of Byhalia Miss., Dean Tilley and wife Brenda of Water Valley, Miss., and James Tilley and wife Carolyn of Monette; brother, Leroy Tilley and wife Wanda of Pittsburg, Kan.; sisters, Retha Smith and husband Clyde of Mountain View and Charlene Carroll and husband Eugene of Memphis, Tenn.; brother, Larry Tilley and wife Phyllis of Jonesboro; six grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.

Billey Ray was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, Guy Tilley, and two great-granddaughters, Rebecca Lynn Jarrell and Samantha Nunley.

Honored to serve as pallbearers will be the members of the Monette Volunteer Fire Department.

Funeral Services will be 2 p.m. Tuesday Jan. 12, at the First Assembly of God Church in Monette with the Rev. Shawn McElhannon and Rev. Jerry Reed officiating. Private interment will be in Monette Memorial Cemetery.

Visitation will be Monday evening from 6-8 at Gregg Funeral Home in Monette.