Eugenia was born on March 26, 1925 to Dessie and Thomas Tilley. She was sister, to four brothers: Hugh, Harry, Kenneth, and Harold. She lived most of her young life on small farms around Big Flat, Arkansas. As a young girl she worked side by side with her mother doing household chores and working in the fields. Eugenia was the first child in her family to graduate from high school. Eugenia’s first job was to wash, iron, and pack clothing for the CCC boys. She worked for 50 cents a day so she could buy her 10th grade school books. She went on to work at Douglas Aircraft, what is now Tinker AFB. During WWII Eugenia worked on the c-47 aircraft used by allied forces. As years went by she worked at various jobs such as in bakeries and meat processing. Eugenia retired from Tinker AFB in 1987 as a sheet metal specialist with many awards and honors. Her pride and joy was working on the B-52 and many other military airplanes. After retiring from Tinker she worked as a home care giver. Eugenia survived a chemical explosion, over 50 percent of her body was burned. Also, she was a breast cancer survivor. Eugenia had a passion for gardening, quilting, crocheting, knitting, and embroidery work. All of our homes are decorated with her loving handy work. But, most of all she loved, loved, to fish in the White River with her loved ones. To have lived to the wonderful age of 93, Eugenia witness many changes in our country and world:
1) At 8 years old she saw her first car (1933)
2) Age 12, Eugenia got to listen to a radio (battery operated-1937)
3) Age 18, she talked on the telephone for the first time (1943)
4) Saw a brother go to war
5) In 1947 modern day utilities were provided to small Arkansas farmers
6) First Man on the moon
7) Laptop computers and cell phones
8) And many other wonders of her time
Eugenia’s most precious gift was the love and joy she received from her family. We love Eugenia and you will be missed beyond words. God bless you and all of us left on this beautiful earth. She is survived by 3 daughters, Sonya Jane Willhite, Linda Mae Bromley, and Rogenia Lee David; 8 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; 5 great-great-grandchildren; 1 brother, Harold Tilley; and other relatives and friends. A visitation will be held at Bill Eisenhour Southeast Funeral Home, 5005 SE 29th St., Del City, OK 73115 on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. A visitation will be held on Friday evening from 6-8 p.m. at Roller-Coffman Funeral Home in Marshall, Arkansas. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, May 19, 2018 at Roller-Coffman Chapel with burial to follow in Freeman Cemetery near Big Flat, Arkansas.
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