John Edward (Jack) Tillotson was born on February 15, 1903 in Woburn, Massachussetts. His parents were Edward Ashton Tillotson and Amelia Catrina Unold. John was named Ralph at birth, but he changed his name later in life. He was the owner and operator of Tillotson Standard Service Station at 6th and Pearl Streets in Jacksonville, Florida. He married Doris Causey and had three sons, John (known far and wide as Johnny Tillotson, the singer), Daniel and Thomas, and later married Joyce Audrey Morey on December 10, 1955, with whom he had one daughter, ToniAnne.

Jack was a good man, and an honest. He would extend credit to anyone at his service station and ran his business based on trust rather than books, which mightily frustrated his wife Doris. He was unfailingly kind to his children; one story reports that after an especially egregious offense, Doris insisted that he take off his belt and strap the offender. After sending everyone out of the room, Jack beat his hand with the belt and told his son to yell at every stroke. Afterward, Doris said, "I'm glad you did that." Jack responded, "So am I."

Jack passed away on May 29, 1963 in a Jacksonville hospital of leukemia, after residing in that city for 45 years. He was a member of the Holy Cross Episcopal Church, a former member of the Board of Directors of the church, a member of the Lions Club and Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Allied Retail Gasoline Association.

At the time of his death, Jack was survived by his widow, Mrs. Joyce M. Tillotson; a daughter, ToniAnne Tillotson of Jacksonville; three sons, John C. Tillotson of New York City, Daniel E. Tillotson of Jacksonville and Thomas E. Tillotson of Gainesville; two sisters, Hazel (Mrs. J. Benjamin Meunier) of Manhattan Grove, Calif., and Vesta (Mrs. Frank A. Willard) of Fort Lauderdale; and a brother, Robert Unold Tillotson of New Orleans, La. Preceded in death by a brother, Emory Ashton Tillotson.

Interment was on 2 June 1963 at Restlawn Memorial Park in Jacksonville, Florida.