Obituary: Richard Josiah Tillery

The family of Richard Josiah Tillery is sad to announce his passing at age 43 on March 21. Though his time on earth was cut short, his friends and family knew he always lived life on his own terms.

Born to Rachel Benator, MD, and Randy Tillery, of Salt Lake City, Utah, Richard was always a lively, principled individual. He was the first to speak up for what he believed in, and he was a friend to all. After high school, Richard lived in Israel for nearly 5 years and served with the Nakhal Mutznakh 50th Airborne Infantry Brigade of the Israeli Defense Forces. While pursuing his undergraduate studies at the University of Utah, Richard taught Hebrew and drama to elementary and middle schoolers at Congregation Kol Ami in Salt Lake City, Utah. Richard volunteered for humanitarian missions in Mali, Guatemala, Peru, Bolivia, Belize, Solomon Islands, and Nepal where he assisted his mother in eye examinations, treatment, surgery, and the provision of reading and prescription glasses.

After graduating from the University of Utah with a B.A. in political science and a B.S. in economics, he pursued and received his J.D. from Emory University School of Law. As a partner at Gibbs-Tillery Law Firm, Richard brought a well-rounded dispute resolution perspective to all matters, whether it involved a multimillion-dollar or start-up company or what he considered the most important entity of them all, a client family. He brought not only his knowledge and experience, but also his heart into every case.

Though he’s gone too soon, he will be remembered for his warmth, his intelligence, his devotion to his family and his devilish sense of humor and upbeat personality by his parents, Rachel Benator and Randy Tillery, his sister, Robin Tillery, his grandparents, Josiah and Birdie Benator, his long-term girlfriend, Amanda Barnes, and children, his aunts and uncles, his cousins, and countless friends, colleagues, and clients.

A graveside service was held at Greenwood Cemetery on Friday, March 24, at 2 p.m. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, 770-451-4999.

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