Geraldine “Jeri” Marguerite Childs Tillson

Geraldine “Jeri” Marguerite Childs Tillison joined her family members in heaven on August 2, 2020 at the age of 90. Born on December 2, 1929 in Saint Joseph, Missouri to Thurman Leo and Nellie Mae (Modie), Jeri is preceded in death by her parents, siblings- Harriet Boyer, Nellie Boyer, Nancy Jacobs, Thurman “Bill” Childs, and a son- Joe Michael Tillison.

Jeri is survived by her husband Joe Manley Tillison; daughters Kathy Sprague Morgan (Terry), Karen Conrad Willoughby (Tim), Lyanne Tillison Langerock (Keith), and son Jeff Sprague (Julie Hollars). She is blessed with a family which spans five generations of children, grandchildren: Melissa Newman, Paula Newman, Shawn Sprague, Chad Sprague, Vincent Crowley, Ivy Baker Reger, Micah Baker, Tara Morgan Dodge, Melanie Morgan Fish;and Jeri’s great and great-great grandchildren.

With her family and friends, Jeri shared her love of nature- gardening, camping, fishing, taking walks- and taught her children and grandchildren a respect and appreciation for all living things. She shared that appreciation with others through her volunteer work as a lifelong Girl Scout. Jeri and her husband, Manley, lived and worked at the residential Girl Scout Camp Woodland in Albany for 34 years until retiring to town in 2004. She loved books, had a quick sense of humor, liked numbers, puzzles, card games, dancing and a good cup of coffee. Mostly, Jeri found great joy in sharing time and hearing the laughter of her family. She celebrated anything that made her children and grandchildren happy.

Along with her hobbies and passions, Jeri served as the Housekeeping and Environmental Services Director at Gentry County Memorial Hospital, now Mosaic Medical Center-Albany, until her retirement. She was a caregiver, not just to her family when they needed comfort and care, but to her mother and Aunt Doran Modie in her home at the end of their lives. She was a bookkeeper to her family’s businesses, helped manage her granddaughter’s store, and a full-time volunteer at the Bookworm Bargains bookstore in Albany.

Graveside services honoring and celebrating Jeri’s life will be held at Memorial Park, St. Joseph Missouri on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 at 3:00 p.m. The family requests social distancing and masks to be worn. .

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations in honor of Jeri Tillison be sent to Bookworm Bargains ? Carnegie Library, 106 E Clay, Albany, Missouri 64402. Online guest book and obituary at www.meierhoffer.com.