Joseph "Joe" Tillotson

Joseph "Joe" Tillotson, esteemed former mayor of Lancaster, Texas, loyal US Marine, venerated grandfather and loving great-grandfather, passed away on March 15, 2024. Born in Wichita Falls, Texas, on March 20, 1929, Joe's life was marked by his devotion to his family, his community, and his country. A fifth-generation Texan, Joe's heritage is deeply entrenched in Texas history. His great-great grandfather fought at the battle of San Jacinto and his grandfather was the County Judge of Stonewall County in west Texas at the turn of the century. Raised in San Antonio, Joe graduated from Central Catholic High School. He served with distinction in the United States Marine Corps from 1948 to 1952. Upon returning to civilian life and after a brief tenure at Southern Methodist University, Joe married the love of his life, Marjorie "Marge" McCarthy, and founded his still-expanding family. He began his civilian career with the Rock Island Railroad, following a path first laid by his father. After living in Houston, Teague and Waco, his career led him to Lancaster and Continental Trailways where he served as an executive until 1976. Joe then assumed the role of Director of Safety for the City of Dallas and retired with distinction in 1991. Joe and Marge made their beloved town of Lancaster home for more than 50 years. A devout Catholic, Joe helped establish St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Lancaster where he served on the parish board and finance committee and remained a parishioner until his passing. His active contributions and deep faith were recognized in 2012 by the Bishop’s Award for Service to the Church from Bishop Kevin Farrell of the Diocese of Dallas. Following Lancaster's devastating tornado in 1994, Joe committed himself to helping rebuild his community and served as a City Council member and then as Mayor of Lancaster from 1995 to 2005. Over a decade-long term marked by wisdom and compassion, Joe supported his citizen’s quality of life through the development of the City Park with the Lancaster Recreation Center and Veterans Memorial Library. Joe championed the successful completion of the Lancaster High School Complex and the renovation of the original high school into the Lancaster ISD Administration building. He fostered a strong school/city partnership in the 2004 School Bond election. The 2005 City Bond election was endorsed by Joe for the completion of the new Public Safety Building, Senior Life Center, and renovation of the old library as the Municipal Court Building. He was instrumental in establishing Lancaster as the epicenter of the Southern Dallas County Inland Port by fostering collaboration with national and international corporations that now call Lancaster home. He also served on numerous Best Southwest Partnership boards and was the Best Southwest Partnership Chair in 2003. Joe's most enduring legacy is the loving family he and his cherished Marge nurtured together for over 70 years. He is survived by his wife Marge, brother John Tillotson (Sylvia), his six children Joseph Jr. (Harumi), Anne Hilmo (Bob), Mary Bogenschutz (Mike), Stephen (Patty), Tom (Margie), and Bill (Christina), his 18 grandchildren, and 21 great-grandchildren, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Rose and Joe Tillotson, his sister Mary Fruge, and his nephew Joseph Patrick Tillotson. Arrangements for Joe's funeral services are being handled by Bynum Funeral Home in Lancaster, Texas. A Rosary and visitation will be Thursday evening, March 21, from 6pm to 8pm at Byrum Funeral Home, located at 425 N Dallas Ave, Lancaster Texas. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, March 22 at 10am at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, located at 1537 Rogers Ave. Lancaster, Texas. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations may be made in his name to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund (https://www2.jdrf.org) or to St Francis of Assisi Building Fund (http://www.stfrancislancaster.org). As we mourn his passing, we also celebrate the life of a man who embodied the virtues of faith, family, and fidelity to public service and his community. He always felt that his children and their families were his and Marge's greatest accomplishments. Joe's memory will live forever in the hearts of all who had the privilege of knowing him, and his contributions to the world he lived in will be long remembered.

Joseph "Joe" Tillotson

March 20, 1929 - March 15, 2024