Reverend John Tully, age 73, died Friday, October 16, 2015.

He is survived by his sister Patricia A. (nee Tully) Elam, nieces and nephew Missy, Liz and Jeff, grandnieces Felicia and Emily all of Atlanta, Georgia; brother and sister-in-law Richard, J. and Wendy Tully and niece, Sarah all of North Ridgeville, Ohio.

Father Tully was born   May 28, 1942 in Evergreen Park, Illinois.  He attended Catholic schools in Chicago until his family moved to Canton, Ohio, where he attended Central Catholic High School.  He studied for the priesthood at St. Gregory and Mount St. Mary's of the West seminaries in Cincinnati.

He was ordained May 24, 1969 by Bishop James W. Malone at the Cathedral of St. Columba in Youngstown.

Following ordination, Father Tully served as parochial vicar (assistant pastor) of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (currently Our Lady of Peace Parish) in Ashtabula prior to joining the faculty of Ursuline High School where he taught from 1970-1979.  He had been appointed pastor of Sacred Heart (currently St. Angela Merici Parish) in Youngstown in 1978 and served in both posts during that school year.  In 1986 he was appointed pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Leetonia.  The same year, he was appointed to an ad hoc committee to study the need for a pastoral council following the diocesan priorities study session.  He served as parochial vicar at St. Mary in Massillon 1997-1998.  In April 1998, Father Tully assumed the pastorates of St. Patrick in Salineville, St. John in Summitville, and St. Philip Neri in Dungannon.  In 2011 Father Tully was appointed parochial vicar of St. Mary in Massillon where he remained until his death.

In addition to Ursuline High School, Father Tully taught at St. John in Ashtabula, Notre Dame Summer School in Indiana and C.C.D. at Immaculate Heart of Mary School in Austintown.  He served as chaplain for the Oblate Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Hubbard and the Knights of Columbus Councils number 3930 and number 13371.

Father Tully's funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, October 23, 2015 at 11 A.M.  in St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 127 Cherry Road, N.E., Massillon with Msgr. Robert J. Siffrin celebrant and Fr. Ed Gretchko homilist.

Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery.

Fr. Tully will lie in state on Thursday, October 22, 2015 from 3 to 8 P.M. at St. Paul's Lutheran Church.

In lieu of flowers, please make memorials to Tully Scholarship Fund for St. Mary Church and School, 726 First St. N.E., Massillon, Ohio  44646.

For additional information, directions or to leave words of condolences at www.heitger.com .

Hietger Funeral Home - Massillon Chapel   330-833-3248