Betty Jo "B.J." Rodeheaver Tilley, 87, of Claytor Lake/Radford, Va. died Wednesday, July 19th, 2017. Betty Jo (BJ) earned her Bachelors and Masters degrees in Home Economics at West Virginia University. She taught at WVU and at McLains Business College in Bluefield, WV. In 1958, she came to Radford University as Assistant Professor of Home Management in the Department of Home Economics. Ms. Tilley expanded a single class in house planning into a comprehensive interior design curriculum, offering a B.S. degree. She had a special expertise in color theory and kitchen design. She became an expert in lighting design and was instrumental in the development and installation of the Hubbell Lighting Lab in McGuffey Hall. She retired as Associate Professor and the Chairperson of the Department of Interior Design in 1996 and worked without pay the following year to ensure consistency in the curriculum delivery. It was her efforts that led to the Departments FIDER accreditation (now CIDA) in 2006. She was preceded in death by her parents, Harold and BerNeice Rodeheaver. Survivors include the love of her life, her husband of 51 years, Thomas L. Tilley (Tom); daughter and her husband, Lisa Lee and David McCarthy of Buford, S.C.; brother and his wife, Jerry and Susan Rodeheaver of Florida; sister-in-law, Mary Ward and her husband Dick Haislip; six nephews, two nieces and their spouses; wonderful neighbor, Kathy McPeak; and many friends and former students. She was a wife, mother, teacher, humanitarian, leader, visionary, a lake lover, a long-time member of Snowville Christian Church, an avid bridge player and golfer, a highly respected faculty member, supporter of the arts and a sports fan. Students, faculty, friends and neighbors are invited to attend a celebration of Betty Jo Tilleys life at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, August 18th, 2017 at the Mullins Funeral Home, 120 West Main St., Radford, Va. Entombment will follow in the Southwest Virginia Veterans Cemetery in Dublin. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in BJs memory to Interior Design, Radford University Foundation, P.O. Box 6967, Radford, VA. 24141. The Tilley family is in the care of Mullins Funeral Home & Crematory in Radford, Virginia. www.mullinsfuneralhome.com Celebration of Life Service Friday, August 18, 2017 01:30 PM Mullins Funeral Home 120 West Main Street Radford,VA 24141