Tilli Nelson

Tilli Nelson was born August 24th, 1921 in Wrentham Massachusetts. She died in her daughter’s home in Brewster early in the morning of August 7th, 2019. A hummingbird was hovering outside the window when her daughter, Kate, came to check on her. Anyone who knows Tilli (and so many of us do) will tell you about her incredible positivity, generosity and charisma. She was a mighty might of intellect and energy, an avid puzzler of crosswords, a spotter of birds, a maddeningly accurate golfer, and a glowing friend.

Tilli and her husband Everett Nelson loved to fly small planes; she was an expert navigator and a licensed “pinch-hitter” co-pilot. When the manufacturing plant that Everett worked in relocated, Tilli and Everett banded with some other workers to launch North Attleboro Taps. Tilli rebuilt milling machines and dove into entrepreneurism. Afterward, they retired to North Myrtle Beach to golf, ride bicycles, canoe the rivers, and fly planes near their eldest son, Rick’s family. In 2005 Tilli and Everett packed their golf clubs and bicycles and drove to Cape Cod for a wedding. Tilli quickly became a load-bearing thread in the fabric of the greater Brewster community and they never returned to South Carolina.

The almost-98th birthday of Tilli Nelson was celebrated at the Captain’s Golf Course in Brewster last July with many of her friends and admirers, and was a highlight of her last summer. Tilli leaves a daughter, Kate Nelson of Brewster and is pre-deceased by her husband, Everett and two sons, Peter and Richard Nelson. She leaves a lasting glow of love on her grand-children and great-grand-children: Kristin Nelson of Boulder CO with her daughters Delfina and Althea Todd, Eli Woods of Brewster MA with his daughter Zsóka Woods, Erik Nelson of Winchester VA and his daughter Tenley, and Seamus Woods of Brewster with his children Ella and Asher.

We will celebrate her life on the family field in Brewster this Friday at 5:30pm. Donations can be made in her name to the Brewster Conservation Trust and Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival.