Obituary for Pressley A. Tiller (1875-1954)
Elsberry Democrat, December 24, 1954.
From the clippings of June Groshong.


Pressley A. TILLER 79, died in a local hospital in Raton, New Mexico on Dec. 9, 1954. The deceased has been a resident of Raton for four years. He was born October 29,1875 on a farm near Foley, Mo.

He was located at Dawson as Mortician for the Phelps - Dodge Corporation from 1917, til 1950 and previous to that time, he had been a mortician in Colorado Springs, Colo.,and Pueblo, Colo. In early life he had a funeral home in Winfield, Mo. and Harrisburg, ILL.

He joined the New Salem Masonic Lodge in July 1907, he moved his membership to the Lodge at Dawson, N. Mexico, and when Camp Dawson closed, his membership was moved to Cimarron Lodge in Raton, N. Mexico.

He united with the Winfield Baptist Church early in life and was at the time of his death a member of the First Baptist Church at Raton.

He was married to Gussie MUTH on September 25,1901 and to this union one son was born: Paul TILLER, now a resident of Denver, Colorado. His wife died in 1911. On August 4, 1916 he was married to Ethel BOHANON and to this union three daughters were born: Mrs. Mary Elizabeth STAN of Holbrook, Arizona, Mrs. Virginia D. SMITH, of Las Cruces, N. Mexico., Mrs. Alice PARKER of Denver, Colorado. This wife passed away in 1925 and his sister, Finetta BIRCH went to N. Mexico with him to make a home for his girls until her death in 1951.

Besides his children, he leaves one brother, BIRT of Foley, and three sisters, Mrs. F.C. EDWARDS of Athens, Texas, Mary D. TILLER, of Raton, N. Mexico, Mrs. Estelle FORBUSH of St. Louis besides many other relatives and friends.

Funeral services were held at the Errington Chapel in Raton, N. Mexico on Sunday, Dec. 12, and then the body was brought to Winfield, Missouri where another service was held at the Baptist Church at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 15, by Rev. Floyd Dale CRENSHAW and Rev. J. K. EAST.

New Salem Masonic Lodge had graveside services in Winfield Cemetery where he was laid to rest.

One daughter, Mrs. Alice PARKER of Denver, Colo., and his sister, Delora accompanied the remains to Winfield.

[Transcriber's Note:   thanks to Shirley Kress Tiller & her father-in-law Reuben TILLER for allowing me to make a copy of this obituary in 1983. Mr. PRESS TILLER was a mortician at Winfield before Mr. FORBUSH and O'Garlan RICKS. Larry CARTER now owns the CARTER-RICKS FUNERAL HOMES in Winfield, and Elsberry Mo. This may be helpful to those working on Tiller-Crenshaw-Duey as well as other family lines. j.g. ]


File submitted to HERITAGE PAGES of LINCOLN COUNTY, MISSOURI by June Groshong, 9 May, 2004.

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