Marian McVey Tillman

ARCHDALE- Marian McVey Tillman, 77, passed away on Wednesday, August 7, 2019.

Marian Tillman had a zest for life, a keen eye for the well written book and a hunger for a story well told. For those reading this that had the pleasure of knowing Marian Tillman, you may better understand why our family feels especially blessed to have had her as a mother and grandmother to each of her three children and to her eight grandchildren. And you may better understand why Jerry Tillman, her husband of 57 years, may have trouble finding words to sufficiently explain just how unique and exceptional she was as a wife, a partner and a mother to their children. 

She was born on August 8, 1941, in Alamance County NC, to the late Harris and Rochelle Roach McVey. She graduated first in her class from Sylvan High School and later went on to receive her BA In English from Elon College. She pursued her MLIS in Library Science at UNC-Greensboro. A resident of this area most of her life, she retired from Randolph County School System after 32 years of service, having last taught at Archdale Elementary. Marian had a gift for “Story Telling”, and would share that gift with the children in area schools. She was a longtime active member of Archdale Friends Meeting, where she was a member of the John Archdale Class and had served in various other capacities. She enjoyed reading, traveling, and sports. Her true love and passion was spending time with her family and friends. She was a loving wife, mother, sister and grandmother and will be dearly missed. In addition to her parents, preceding her in death was a brother, Forest McVey.

Marian had a passion for excellence in the classroom and in the sports arena. She was valedictorian of her high school graduating class and once scored 49 points in a high school basketball game. Marian loved to promote the joy of reading. She taught English and French at the start of her teaching career and was then a librarian for over 20 years. Marian was instrumental in organizing the first public library in Archdale.

She is survived by her husband , Jerry W. Tillman; her children, Jeff Tillman, Patrick Tillman (Julie), and Mary Elizabeth Barwick (Ryan); her brother, Jack McVey; her grandchildren, Melinda, Harrison, Emma Freda, Audrey, Sophia, Harper, Julia Ann, Tillman and Lane.

A service to celebrate Marian’s life will be held on Saturday morning, August 17, at 11 o’clock, at Archdale Friends Meeting, with Rusty Parsons, Minister, Pastor Ben Hurley, and Reverend Bill V. Barnes officiating. There will be a reception following the service in the fellowship hall, from 12 until 2. A committal service will follow at Cane Creek Friends Meeting Cemetery in Snow Camp. 

Memorials in Marian’s memory may be directed to Archdale Friends Meeting, 114 Trindale Road, Archdale, NC 27263.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Marian McVey Tillman, please visit our floral store.