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Roy Kenneth Tillerson

Tue, 08/16/2022 - 21:15
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Roy Kenneth Tillerson, 92, passed away on June 28, 2022 at his home in Boswell, Okla.Roy was born in Wichita Falls, Texas, on May 29, 1930, the son of Roy Spencer and Sylvetta Pearl (Bennett) Tillerson. His father worked as a rancher and farmer on the family’s property in north Texas. When WWII started Roy’s dad volunteered for military service, but was denied as three of his brothers had already enlisted and his occupation was deemed vital to the war effort. Regardless his parents moved the family to Bellflower, Calif., in 1942 where Roy’s dad and mom worked for the Douglas Aircraft Company Plant in Long Beach as metal fabricators and welders building military aircraft for the war effort.

Roy graduated from Excelsior High School in 1947 and went into the U.S. Army shortly thereafter. He was in the service as a combat parachutist and served in the Korean War. While serving in the U.S. Army, Roy met and married his first wife, Hazel Marie Tillerson in 1950 and they had two children, Roy Daniel (Danny) and Theresa Ann Tillerson. After completing his military service he settled in Lakewood, Calif. His primary occupation was as a long haul truck driver (18-wheeler) where he traveled throughout the United States for more than 45 years, retiring from Jimmie Tucker Trucking of Broken Bow, Okla.

He married Hope Veneta (Parson) Tillerson, a native of Boswell, in 1966, and purchased 80 acres of land in Boswell in 1968 while still living and working in California. They moved back to Boswell in 1976 and built a home there which was completed in 1977. Roy owned this land and managed his own cattle ranch after moving permanently to Boswell in 1976. He was married to Hope for 29 years and cared for her during the latter part of her life when she suffered from lung cancer and passed away in 1995. Roy was a man of many talents and had a tremendous amount of love and respect for all of his family members and country.

He married Anita (Trout) Tillerson in 1996, another Boswell native, whom he loved and cared for over the next 18 years on the ranch which they fondly called the RAT Ranch for Roy/Anita/Tillerson. They had a wonderful time traveling and visiting children and grandchildren throughout Texas and Oklahoma. Unfortunately Anita had serious health issues later in life and she passed away in 2014. Roy loved the beauty and expanse of our country. He loved to drive or simply view the scenery. The road was his home away from home as he spent his entire life traveling through many states hauling everything you could imagine, always returning to his Gentleman Ranching endeavors, feeding those cattle. They always said,

Roy is preceded in death by his parents; older brother, William E. Tillerson; children: Danny and Teresa, and his former wives.

He is survived by his loving nieces and nephews: Toni Crowe Pierce of Hugo, Terry Crowe of Boswell, Randy Crowe of Locust Grove, Ga., Gene and David Tillerson of San Diego, Calif., and Susan Tillerson of Los Angeles; Hope’s daughter, Minna Schlath of Tyler, Texas; Anita’s children: Casie Hemphill and Patty Benton of Lubbock, Texas, and Linda James-Key of Dallas, Texas; nine beloved grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren, and many wonderful, dearly loved family members from California to Georgia. He greatly appreciated and loved the many close friends he had in Boswell, and surrounding towns. Roy had a wonderful smile that was contagious when presented. He will be forever missed.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the American Heart Association and any Veterans Organization of your choosing.

Memorial services and celebration of life will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022 at the Restland Cemetery in Boswell.

Family and friends are invited to sign the guest book or send private condolences to the family at www.praterlampton.com.

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