Miriam Evelyn Tillman, 82, of Vero Beach, passed away peacefully at her home on Dec. 11, 2015.
She is survived by her husband Alfred Tillman; her daughter Barbara Ruh (Bill); her sons Edward and Ronald (Sue); four grandchildren, Kate and Carrie Ruh, and Sean and Ashley Tillman; and her brother Jim.
She was born in Orange, N.J. on June 21, 1933 to William P. and M. Cecelia (Conlon) Hedden. She grew up with her older brother James in Millburn, N.J. and later in the Vailsburg section of Newark where they were joined by their younger brother William. On Feb. 20, 1960, she married Alfred J. Tillman, and they remained devoted to each other for 55 wonderful years.
Tillman graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Douglas College in 1955. She taught at Vernon L. Davey Junior High School in East Orange, N.J. Following their wedding, she and Al moved to Mt. Tabor, N.J. where she continued teaching until she paused to raise children.
She became President of both the Women’s and Garden Clubs of Mt. Tabor and co-founded the Mt. Tabor Nursery School. She and Al built a vacation home at Beebe Pond in Vermont. In 1974 the family moved to North Granby, Conn., where she remained active teaching.
Then in 1977 the family moved to Orchard Park, N.Y., where she focused her career on early childhood education. The family moved to Temple Terrace, Fla., in 1984 where she became a pre-school director. Upon retiring, she and Al sold their home and bought an RV, in which they lived full-time for six and a half years, traveling extensively throughout the country until finally settling in Vero Beach in 2003.
Tillman loved skiing, hiking, boating, birding, and traveling and was particularly adept at developing travel itineraries, including a summer-long excursion with friends through Europe in 1956. Her artistic flair was revealed in gardening, flower arranging, cooking, sewing, quilting, and photography. She was actively involved in the various churches she attended and later participated in Community Bible Study. But most of all, she was filled with love for her best friend, Al, and the rest of her family and friends.
A private memorial service will be held for her on Dec. 27, 2015.
Cox Gifford Seawinds Funeral Home and Crematory is handling arrangements.
