JOE McGEE TILLER
JOE McGEE TILLER
Joe M. Tiller departed this earthly life early dawn on February 15, 2023, after having received wonderful care by the Perry County Emergency Care Team, the Staff at three Rivers, the Air Flight Transport Team, the Staff at Ascension Saint Thomas West Hospital, and the Staff at Decaturville Rehabilitation Center since August 2022. During the early course
of Mac’s intensive care ventilator, surgery and blood replacement process, Elizabeth stayed by his side within the immediate confines of his recovery site for seventy-two hours.
Joe M. Tiller was born on December 21, 1945 to the late Mr. and Mrs. Floyd (Margaret) Tiller at the Maury County Regional Hospital in Columbia. Mac, as he was affectionately called, was the youngest of four siblings; his two older siblings, Bobby and Billy, are expired. Joe Tiller is survived by his older sister, Mrs. Bettye Tucker and two sisters-in-law, Mrs. Jessie Ruth Tiller and Mrs. Marijon Tiller.
Even though known primarily as Mac, his given name, Joe McGee, was derived from honoring his Uncle Joe, a professional baseball league player who gave his life to service in World War II in a tank in Italy, and his Uncle Joe’s wartime friend named McGee.
The Mrs. And Mrs. Floyd Tiller family moved to Perry County (Tiller Furniture); however, Mac’s father became ill and soon expired, leaving young Mac hardly more than a toddler. Mac enjoyed visiting his maternal grandmother, Mrs. Gertrude Wiseman Patterson, a piano teacher. After his graduation, Mac was approached by his Texas relatives and encouraged to pursue a collegiate football scholarship in Texas.
Mac’s major employment was at Cherri Metals in New Johnsonville incurring his retirement after 43 years as he loved both his employment at Cherri Metals and its staff.
On July 26, 1968, Mac married Elizabeth Howell and immediately moved to Cedar Creek; their child, Najie Simone, was born July 12, 1969. Mac not only had great love and respect for Elizabeth but also admired her many abilities, honesty, integrity, etc. Mac also had abiding love for his mother-in-law, Mrs. Tilda Howell. This was mutual as she treated him as her son and gave him her Twin Oakes Angus cattle. Mrs. Tilda assisted Mac until her demise on December 15, 2000 with every aspect of his life, be it financial in availing her knowledge to him, in garnering farm purchases and in rendering her
actual farm labor alongside Mac with respect to farm operations at Twin Oakes. Mac and Mrs. Tilda conversed oftentimes regarding Mrs. Tilda’s late husband, Esquire Fred Ashley Howell. Mac came to admire his deceased father-in-law’s expansive service to the Perry County Community, his entrepreneurship as the Howell Chevrolet Dealership proprietor, his ownership/sawyer capability of Mill operations and early innovative technical expertise regarding farm operations, land topography, house and farm building construction (State of Tennessee Bridge Highway 128 on Cedar Creek is named Esquire Fred Ashley Howell and Mrs. Tilda Culp Howell Memorial Bridge). Mrs. Tilda Culp Howell was not only a farm enthusiast and farm operator but a teacher and a two-year principal who was the inspiration for Mac’s beloved wife, Elizabeth Howell Tiller’s impressive trailblazer accomplishments as the first female elected Superintendent of Perry County Schools and noted educational administrator.
Mac had much love for the people of Perry County, especially Cedar Creek and Twin Oakes Centry Farms which was originally allocated as a land grant (the original settlers having been entombed on said property).
Mac showed admiration and respect for the late Mr. Bob Horner, Mr. Roy Culp and Mr. Marshall Howell as well as Mr. Roy F. Howell, Mr. Johnny Ward, Mr. Walton Holder, and Mr. Barry Carroll. Their assistance to him during his lifetime was especially enhancing. Mac also appreciated the past and present city and county officials who render/rendered their valuable service in making Perry County great.
Depending upon the various stages in his life, Mac, in early life took piano lessons, embarked upon vocational training, implementing farm techniques pertaining to farming and farm life such as barn building, equipment purchases, row-cropping, hay-making, bush hogging, gardening, etc. During his lifetime Mac attended church and was an avid reader of the Bible. Among Mac’s favorite preoccupations were music, vacations, culinary festivities at Peter’s Landing, Tennessee River water sports, fishing, raising farm animals, wildlife observation, traveling, sightseeing and just “hangin’” out with Elizabeth and daily feeding the animals at the various farms with his beloved Elizabeth.
His everlasting love was for grand-daughters, Dr. Ariel and future Juris Doctor Raquel and Elizabeth as he kept pictures of all three with him at every healthcare location from August 2022 to February 15, 2023.
Mac is also survived by Dr. Ariel Elizabeth brooks MD, her husband Dr. Garry Brooks (Veterans Physician), two-year old Athena Elizabeth, four-month-old Anikha Delci, and future Juris Doctor Raquel Rosalyn Stearnes. Mac was extremely proud of the granddaughters. Mac and Elizabeth spoke oftentimes on matters of spirituality. Mac and Elizabeth (MamaE) would have profound discussions and conversational interchange on spiritual conceptualizations, ideologies, and philosophy of life.
Finally, he had great admiration and appreciation for Dr. Horne MD who visited him in Saint Thomas West Hospital with Elizabeth but most importantly she imparted spiritual knowledge and was his spiritual guide.
A funeral service was held at noon on Monday, February 20, 2023, in the chapel of Young Funeral Home, with Bro, Roy Sharpe officiating. Interment followed by Dr. O.A. Kirk Memorial Cemetery.