Shirley Marie Tillman

Shirley Marie Tillman passed away peacefully at the Windsor of Lawrence, Lawrence, KS on Friday, the 21st of October. She was born Shirley Marie Hlavsa in St. Louis, MO on July 21st, 1925. As a young woman during WWII she volunteered in hospitals, graduated from Brown Business College and was the assistant to the president of the Wabash Railroad. She traveled extensively on the rails. She did haute couture modeling for the Major Levy Modeling Agency. She was under contract to Alexander Films doing commercials for movie advertisements.

She married Robert W. Tillman in 1947 after the war ended and lived in Ft. Collins, CO while her husband went to veterinary school. She was the office manager, surgical assistant, and receptionist at Dr. Tillman’s veterinary hospital until his death in 1996.

During her time in Prairie Village, KS she was active in the Girl Scouts of America, eventually becoming the head of the Johnson County Chapter. She spent almost every summer and some winters in Winter Park, CO where she was a real estate developer. She was active in the community there.
She leaves two daughters and their husbands, Barbara Tillman and John Lewis of Denver, Co and Betsy and Tim Forcade of Lawrence, KS. She is also survived by her sister, Sally Ann Kronk and her children, Karen Gelhardt, Rick Kronk, and John Kronk.

A visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon Saturday, October 29, 2016 at Warren McElwain Mortuary in Lawrence. Mass of Christian

Burial will follow at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, October 29th at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church.

Memorial contributions may be made in her name to the Lawrence Humane Society or the Visiting Nurse Association Hospice and may be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary.