Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | August 24, 2026 | Worcester Business Journal 3 BY ERIC CASEY WBJ Managing Editor S umner "Tony" Tilton Jr., senior partner at Worcester law firm Fletcher Tilton and a major part of the larger Worcester business community, has passed away at age 88. Tilton passed away the evening of Aug. 7 surrounded by his family, according to an online obituary pub- lished Aug. 11. Tilton's 63-year career in Worcester saw him play a key role in growing Fletcher Tilton into a regional law firm with offices spread across Massachusetts and Rhode Island, according to a statement from the firm. "We stand on his shoulders in so many ways," Fred Misilo, Jr., pres- ident of Fletcher Tilton, said in the firm's statement. "His guidance, generosity, and dedication to both this firm and this community leave a lega- cy that will endure for generations." Tilton was born in Worcester in 1938. He grew up in the city before graduating from Williams College and Boston University School of Law, graduating from the latter in 1963. Tilton most recently served as chair of the firm's investment committee and maintained an active trust and es- tate practice in estate planning, estate and trust administration. Tilton formerly served on the Worcester Redevelopment Authority aer helping develop the economic development corporation aimed at advancing urban renewal in the city. He was a key member of Worces- ter's civic community, having been awarded the Isaiah omas Award for Civic Leadership in 2008 by the Worcester Regional Research Bureau. Tilton's civic leadership included being a life trustee and former chair- man of Clark University's board of trustees, an honorary trustee of the EcoTarium and the Worcester Art Museum, and the former chairman of Choose Worcester, a private-pub- lic partnership looking to boost the city's business scene. Tilton served on numerous boards, including on UMass Memorial Health, the Mildred H. McEvoy Foundation, e Hoche-Scofield Foundation, and the Willard House and Clock Museum. He formerly served as the president of Greater Worcester Community Foundation. He received the community service award from the Massachusetts Bar Association in 2002 and was induct- ed into the the Boys & Girls Club of Worcester's Alumni Hall of Fame in 2004. Tilton's work in Worcester led to him receiving a total of four honor- ary degrees from Clark University, Assumption University, the Massa- chusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and Becker College. Tilton's services and burial was private. In lieu of flowers, his family requested donations in his name be made to the Cape Cod Healthcare Foundation or the Boys & Girls Club of Worcester. NORESCO merger "Part of what we liked about NORESCO is its very strong New England and East Coast presence. It's highly complementary and also a market that we think we feel very bullish about." Courtney Jenkins, CEO of OPTERRA Energy Services in Califor- nia, on her company's purchase of Westborough-based energy services firm NORESCO MBTA goals "It is critical that we keep the focus on the needs of Central Massachusetts at a time when important decisions that will affect Worcester are being made by the MBTA and MassDOT." Richard Burke, chair of the Worcester MBTA Working Group, on the group's calls for protections to Central Mass. transit amid the $2-billion Allston project Record donation "We are grateful to BJ's for this transformative and visionary gift, which will help address growing demand for urgent and emergency care in the region." Dr. Eric Dickson, president and CEO UMass Memorial Health, on Marlborough-headquartered retailer BJ's Wholesale Club's $500,000 donation to support the renovation of UMass Memorial Medical Center – Marlborough Campus' emergency department Longtime Worcester business community leader passes away at 88 W PHOTO | COURTESY OF FLETCHER TILTON Sumner "Tony" Tilton Jr. "We stand on his shoulders in so many ways. His guidance, generosity, and dedication to both this firm and this community leave a legacy that will endure for generations." Fred Misilo, Jr., president of Fletcher Tilton

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