Obituaries

Raymond (or Ray) was born on December 7, 1939, to Fred Debs and Frances E. (Tede) Tillman in La Mesa, New Mexico. He died on November 8, 2020 at Wilson N. Jones Hospital in Sherman, Texas, with his loving wife Marlene Tillman by his side. Ray was a faithful member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Sherman.

Raised in Southern New Mexico on a share-cropper farm near Berino, Ray learned his work ethic at a young age. His youth was spent working the farm to put food on the family table. Ray also worked at the local weekly newspaper and job-printing shop, earning extra money and also learning the printing trade during his Junior and Senior years in high school. Ray attended school at Anthony, New Mexico, and graduated from Gadsden High School in 1958.

While attending New Mexico Western College, Ray worked in the College Print Ship to pay part of his school expenses. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial Technology in 1962. After graduation, he joined the Army to fulfill his military service obligation, serving a thirteen-month tour of duty in Korea. After being honorably discharged in 1965, he went to Rochester, New York, to attend Rochester Institute of Technology, where he earned a B.S. Degree in Printing Management. While attending classes, he also was working full time for a national label and package printing firm, Stecher, Traung and Schmidt, Inc.

After finishing school, Ray returned to the southwestern United States and worked in the printing and electronics industry for about ten years. In the late 1970’s he went to work for the Missouri Pacific Railroad, which later merged with the Union Pacific. He was working as a Brakeman and Conductor when he retired. In his retirement years Ray operated a small mobile knife, scissor and clipper blade sharpening service, catering to pet groomers, veterinarians, barbers and hair stylists, until he retired again in 2016 at the age of 76. Although he claimed to be retired, he was always a big help to his wife with thrift stores in the area.

Ray was a member and a Master Mason of the Lone Star Masonic Lodge Number 403, A.F. & A. M., in Denison, Texas. He was also a member of the American Legion and Disabled Veterans. He gave much of his time for volunteer work to various organizations in the Texoma Area. Woodworking and wood turning were among his hobbies that he enjoyed in his spare time. He made many beautiful pieces for his home. Ray loved to travel and was planning another trip to Germany when the pandemic set in. Not being able to travel abroad, Ray and Marlene bought an RV and were going to travel the states.

On one of Ray’s trips to New Mexico he saw a woman walking along the road with her donkey. She needed a ride to the next town. He loaded the donkey in the back of the truck and off they went.

With the medical help of Dr. Greg Matter, Dr. Winston Marshall and Dr. Thomas Beverage, along with Ray’s tenacity, perseverance and faith, he lived through two bouts of cancer and over 20 years of serious heart problems. Ray’s faith was always an important part of his life and he’d always say, “If you don’t have faith, you don’t have anything.” The family is very grateful for the extra years he lived to experience.

Ray is survived by the love of his life, Marlene P. (Hummel) Tillman; a son Nathan Linn Tillman; and stepdaughter Julie Lynn (Hummel) Muschi and sister Fran Henry of Las Vegas, Nevada. He was preceded in death by his sister Lois Matkin and brother Fed Hunter Tillman. Ray has been a friend of Bill W. for 35 years. Ray requested that his body be given to the Science Care and then cremated. There will be no services at this time and pending arrangements will be made later.