Obituary of Mary Elva Nelson Tilley

CHAPEL HILL December 10, 2018

 

     Mary Elva Nelson Tilley, age 99, of Chapel Hill died peacefully surrounded by members of her family on Monday, December 10, 2018 at Cambridge Hills Assisted Living Center in Pittsboro, NC. She was born on December 23, 1918 in Stokes County North Carolina to the late Jesse Floyd Nelson and Maggie Leola Snider. She grew up in a household of five sisters and three brothers.

     Mary Elva was married to the late Robah Cleveland Tilley for nearly 31 years and during that time she was a caring wife and devoted mother to their six children. Two of her children, Henry and Mack Tilley are deceased. She is survived by her children Mazie Fleetwood (George) of Asheboro, Phyllis Connolly (Patrick) of Durham, Jesse Tilley (Duen) of West Palm Beach, Florida, and Robin Tilley (Barry Roberts) of Chapel Hill. Her grandchildren are Susan Hinkle (Jamie) of Raleigh and Paul Fleetwood (Kathy) of Asheboro; Greg Tilley (Patti) of Chapel Hill; Rebecca Cable (Wayne) of Durham; Matthew Shytle of Chapel Hill; and Maggie Tilley of West Palm Beach, Florida. Her great-grandchildren are Robert and Mason Hinkle of Raleigh; Jackson, Leyton, and Bryce Fleetwood of Asheboro; Allison Buchanan of Durham; Madison Tilley of Chapel Hill and Justin Tilley (Lauren) of Wilmington; and one great-great-granddaughter, Chapel Tilley of Wilmington.

     Three of her sisters, Della Nelson, Lorean Bullins, and Margaret Boyd and two of her brothers Curtis Nelson and Gilmer Nelson preceded her in death. She is survived by her sisters, Minnie Bullins and Sudie Mae Nelson of Madison and her brother, Willard Nelson (Hazel) of Lawsonville.

     Mary Elva Tilley loved her grandchildren and during their younger years she cared for many of them and was able to meet many of the daycare needs of their parents. She was an avid Carolina fan and loved gardening and flowers. She was known to create a garden on just about any vacant spot of soil near her home. Her harvest of tomatoes, beans, corn, and other vegetables was gladly shared with friends and family as well. She always had a smile and loved her nearly forty year membership in her church.

     A funeral service will be conducted at 11:00am on Friday, December 14 at Calvary Baptist Church in Carrboro with Pastor Gary Webb officiating. Internment will follow at Isom Baptist Church Cemetery in her native Stokes County. The family will receive friends from 10:00am to 10:45am in the Calvary Baptist Church Sanctuary. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Calvary Baptist Church, 1000 W. Main Street, Carrboro, NC 27510.

     The family would like to thank the staff of Cambridge Hills Assisted Living Center for their outstanding care, love, and support over the past two and one-half years. Mary Elva has been under excellent care and we will cherish friends we made while she was in your care. Thanks also to Community Home Care and Hospice of Sanford for their help in her final days. 

     The Tilley family is under the care of Walker's Funeral Home of Chapel Hill.