Allen Jere Tillery

Allen Jere Tillery passed away on March 22, 2017 at the age of 92. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 62 years Betty Janssen Tillery, his parents James H. Tillery and Erie Johnston Tillery and brothers James H. Tillery, Jr. and Robert E. Tillery. Survived by sons Scott Tillery (Leana), M. Kelly Tillery and Jeff Tillery (Eileen). Grandfather of Matt Tillery, Alexander Tillery, Erin Tillery, Kate Tillery, Samantha Tillery, Sean Tillery and Madelyn Tillery. Jere was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, worked in his father’s gas station and in 1943 enlisted in the U. S. Marine Corps for service in WW II. The Corps sent him to language school and he served as a Japanese interpreter for the 22nd Marine Regiment in the Pacific war. He participated in amphibious landings and combat in the Marshall and Mariana Islands and wrote a fine book about his war experiences called “Well and Smartly Done.” After the war he studied at LSU where he met his future bride Betty, completed law school, married Betty and returned to her hometown New Orleans to start his law practice. When he hung his shingle in Arabi it was the first law office in St. Bernard Parish. He practiced law for 54 years and was an accomplished and popular public speaker. He served as President of the St. Bernard Parish School Board for many years, President of the Louisiana School Boards Association, Vice-Chairman of the St. Bernard Parish Home Rule Charter Committee and Chairman of the Board of St. Bernard Bank. He was an avid reader, a student of history, a proud U.S. Marine and a gentleman to all who knew him. Relatives and friends are invited to attend services at LAKE LAWN METAIRIE FUNERAL HOME, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd. at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, March 24, 2017 with visitation beginning at 11:30 a.m. until service time. Interment will follow in All Saints Mausoleum. In lieu of flowers donations to the United Way are preferred. To view and sign the family guestbook, please visit www.lakelawnmetairie.com .