Billy Don Tilley

Funeral Services for Billy D. Tilley, 90, Austin, TX resident will be held 10:00 am, Friday, March 31, 2023, in the Kiesau Memorial Chapel, officiated by Patrick Peters. Burial will follow in the Clinton Cemetery with military honors and under the direction of the Kiesau-Lee Funeral Home.

Bill Tilley was born March 24, 1933, in Wewoka, Oklahoma to Virgil and Della Mae (Knight) Tilley and passed away Monday, March 27, 2023, at his home in Austin, Texas. He graduated from Clinton High School in 1950, and with a degree in Geology from the University of Oklahoma in 1955.

After serving in the Navy, he joined Continental Oil Company (Conoco), where he spent his career of 31 years in oil exploration, rising from a trainee in a seismograph crew to a senior executive and General Manager of Exploration for North America. His time with Conoco took him to many corners of the world, and he and his family lived in many locations across the country, including eight states.

He was a member of the Church of Christ and enjoyed fishing, reading, traveling, and visiting with his sons, daughters-in-law, and grandchildren. He enjoyed researching genealogy and wrote a book on the history of the Tilley family. Starting from his time as a halfback for the Clinton Red Tornados, he was an avid football fan and closely followed the Oklahoma Sooners.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Peggy Rae Tilley.

He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Earlene Tilley of Austin, TX, his sister Gay Carrol Jack and husband Charles of Clinton, his sons Terry Don Tilley and wife Rosemary of Orinda, CA; Kevin Lynn Tilley and wife Dani of Houston, TX; Jim Darin Tilley and wife Laura of Houston, TX, and Keith Andrew Tilley and wife Laura of Austin, TX, as well as 11 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.