Marian Blayney Tillson

Marian Blayney “Tillie” Tillson – Born November 8th, 1951, passed away September 20, 2020 due to complications from Metastatic Breast Cancer. There has never been a person, EVER, who loved anyone, that did not say in the end, “we didn’t get enough time.”

What do people say? Well, she graduated from Hinsdale high school outside Chicago, attended Western State Colorado (where she became a competent skier), spent over a decade working at the Nature Conservancy office in Denver, reflecting her lifelong love of Mother Nature and all wild animals.

She moved to California in the mid 1980’s to care for her parents, Hal and Lee and resumed a position in San Francisco with the Nature Conservancy until she retired at 55.

So who was she? Tillie loved all animals. Her spirit animal was the wolf. If you wanted to know anything about wolves… you need not crack a book, just ask Tillie. Her large collection of stuffed animals was donated to Stuffed Animal Rescue, benefitting local children’s services and foster care. They will continue to bring joy and comfort to others, as they did to her.

She lived most of her life, owning a cat (Pompeii, Clarabelle, Dumbbell, Stripsey and finally Bob Brenley). For the past 16 years, she lovingly babysat her older brother’s dogs Rascal and Squirt. It was always a joy to see them bound out of the car, after arriving at her house, eager to jump up on her, bury themselves into her blanket. Her home was their other home. When I’d say “load up, we’re going to Tillies, the dogs would trip over themselves to get in the car.

Tillie was guileless, genuinely looked for and found the good in everyone and loved accordingly.

Tillie loved music. Most of all the Beatles and Bruce Springsteen. She loved driving across the country with these songs cranked up. She always took the side roads and the unexpected knowledge that beckoned.

She was a lifelong sports FANATIC. Loved them all, but it was BASEBALL that was her most enduring heartfelt passion. There were significant blessing during her 12 year cancer odyssey. Her beloved SF Giants won three (count em ‘3) World Series titles, and her most dearly beloved Chicago Cubs finally broke the curse in 2016. Tillie was known for her SF Giants cap, taking it off only to shower and sleep. You could call Tillie sometimes and ask “What ya doin?” and she’d reply, “I’m watching some high school baseball game being playing in Ohio. She was a fanatic!

She LOVED Jeopardy. Every night at 7 pm you would find Tillie tuned in to Alex Tribec. If she could have overcome her camera jitters…she would been a Jeopardy champion in her own right.

Tillie was diagnosed with stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer in 2008. During the last twelve years she endured all the treatment protocols (sometimes debilitating) with grace and little complaint. Valiant is the word. She did it her way and was blessed with being able to do it her way. Eccentric, maybe, but always loving. We are grateful for the care she received from Marin Cancer Care.

Her heart was always in Palisades. Her favorite pastime was sitting out on the lawn in front of Vashmar, reading Agatha Christie (she could quote her like Olivier Shakespeare) as she sat chatting with friends and strangers alike that always chose to stop and visit.

Tillie is survived by her three brothers and sisters in laws, Jim (Skipper), Steve (Lucie), Tom and her beloved nieces and nephews: Joe, John, Alex, Kate and Becky, Hannah. She was graced with lifelong community of Palisades’ friends. In her final years and last days especially, Tillie was blessed with the most caring and nurturing neighbors, Mike Muschell and Martha Paduch and their dog Shammy and special thanks to Elizabete Melo (her dog, Winston for her loving in home care.

A celebration of Tillie’s life will be held July 4th, 2021 in Michigan for family and friends.