Donald Richard Tillery

Donald Richard Tillery, 74, passed away Monday, December 23, 2013. He was born September 7, 1939 in Little Rock, Arkansas. He was preceded in death by his parents Harley Olin and Mary Louise Tillery. He is survived by his wife, Jane Ann Massanelli Tillery; son, Donald Richard (Rick) Tillery, Jr. and wife Lisa of Murphy, Texas; daughter, Kathryn Louise (Kallie) McCullough and husband Tom of Midwest City, Oklahoma; sister, Carrie Lou Tillery, and nephew, Randy Seckinger of Alexander; nephew Chris Foor of Sherwood; granddaughters, Alexandria Tillery, Danielle Tillery, Marin McCullough, Aubree Rolin, and Quinn McCullough; also, special caregivers Joyce (Becky) Foor and husband Dennis, and David Wayne Massanelli and wife Kathy and many friends. He graduated from Central High School in 1957 and served in the United States Navy from 1958 to 1964. He was employed at Baldwin Electronics Inc. in Little Rock, where he met and married his best friend, Jane. They moved to Mountain Home, where he was employed by Baxter Pharmaceuticals. In 1965, they returned to Little Rock, where he joined the Air National Guard and returned to college. After completing his Bachelor's Degree in Math/Physics in 1971 and his Master's in Radiation Physics in 1973 from the University of Arkansas, he joined the United States Public Health Service, where he served as Medical Physicist for the Food and Drug Administration, Bureau of Radiological Health in Rockville, Maryland, until 1974. He served as Radiation Control Officer and Special Investigator until 1977 in Kansas City, Missouri. He was then assigned as Director of the Division of Biomedical Engineering Services for the Oklahoma Area Indian Health Service of USPHS. Upon retirement in 1992 as a Colonel, he continued as a consultant in the fields of Electrical Engineering, Radiation Physics, and Biomedical Engineering. He and Jane returned to Little Rock in 2000. He was a Registered Professional Engineer, Adjunct Professor of Math and Science for Oklahoma City Community College, and member of the USPHS Commissioned Officers' Association, American Association of Physicists in Medicine, and Health Physics Society. He received a number of awards including USPHS Achievement Medal, 1980; USPHS Hazardous Duty Service Ribbon, 1981; USPHS Citation, 1984; and USPHS Commendation Medal, 1988. Don's favorite things, besides his wonderful family were working with and learning about Native American cultures, fishing (bass preferred), gardening (edibles only), personal "computering", crossword puzzles (in ink), watching and reporting the weather (to the wonderful family), cooking dinner most Saturday nights for the family, and working on "Ole Blue," his 1988 Lincoln Town Car. The family gives special thanks to Baptist Health CCU, Baptist Rehab, Baptist Home Health, and Arkansas Hospice, and loving caregiver, Rosa Calhoun. They are our special angels. Visitation will be from 6 to 7 p.m., Friday, followed by a Rosary service at 7 p.m., at North Little Rock Funeral Home. Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m., Saturday at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, 211 West 19th in North Little Rock. The family requests memorials in lieu of flowers to be made to Arkansas Hospice Foundation, 14 Parkstone Circle, North Little Rock, Arkansas 72116. Online obituary at www.SmithFamilyCares.com.