John Tillotson

Sgt. John Edward Tillotson, U.S. Army, aged 70, Lancaster’s native son, has returned home to rest. He passed away at his home in Grantham, surrounded by his family on July 7, 2025. John served two tours of duty in the U.S. Army, as well as service in the National Guard. It was during his second tour of duty in Germany in 1984 that he was critically injured, left paralyzed, and spent the remainder of his life living with the results of his great sacrifice to our country.

John is survived by his wife of 49 years, Jewel; his son, Jesse; and his grandson, Wolf of Grantham; his sister and brother-in-law, Cindy and Robert Colby; and his nephews, Christopher Feugill, Zachary (Jamie) and Marcus (Samantha) Colby of Lancaster. A memorial service will be held at 11am on Saturday, September 27th at the Lancaster Congregational Church, and John’s cremains will be buried at the Summer Street Cemetery near his parents, Jack and Mary Tillotson, also of Lancaster, and beside his daughter, Mandy Elizabeth.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that memorial donations be made to K9s for Warriors (donate.K9sforwarriors.org), a cause close to John’s heart.