Lily Olsen Tichenor

Lily was born at home in Bellingham, Washington on August 3, 1919 to Emil S. and Selma O. Olsen, a Norwegian and a first generation Swedish American, respectively. The home was built by her father at the rural edge of town and included a new vegetable garden every year. She married Robert Lauren Tichenor on October 23,1943 in Rochester, New York. She graduated from Washington State University in Pullman, Washington. Then she attended the Dietetics Internship Program at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston to become a registered dietician. Her first job was in Rochester, N.Y. where she set up and ran a company cafeteria during the war. This cafeteria was not supposed to make money, but in her 90’s she confessed that it did. She was so careful with the expenses from her experience growing up during the depression that, even on a very small budget, it was still making money. When her husband was transferred to Oak Ridge, Tennessee, she left her job and became the chief dietician for her growing family. She later put her career training to work in creative home cooking where she made whole wheat breads and yogurt in the 1960’s, well ahead of the “health food” movement.

The family moved to Waynesboro in 1950. Lily held officer positions in the League of Women Voters and participated in doing research and making presentations to the City Planning Commission. She marched in Washington for the Equal Rights Amendment and worked for the original Dupont Credit Union as a volunteer and was an occasional paid employee. When she was about 50, she started a one-person company, Data Abstracts, which did title searches and appraisals in the counties in and around Waynesboro for mortgage companies across the nation. She self-retired at age 84. By that time, she knew most of the backroads in the three adjacent counties. She mentored many young women in the area doing similar work as Legal Assistants. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church and participated in the AAUW, and the Democratic Party. Her family doesn’t remember her ever receiving any awards or citations, but once you met her you didn’t forget her and we are now hearing phrases like “determined’, “strong”, “a force of nature”, and “tough as nails” to describe her.

Lily was preceded in death by her husband of sixty-seven years, Robert Lauren Tichenor; son, David J. Tichenor; four sisters and two brothers.

Lily is survived by three children, John P. Tichenor, Anne C. T. Bandy and Nancy E. Tichenor; three grandchildren, Ryan A. Bandy, Justin V. Bandy and Monica K. Bandy; and one sister, Solveig O. Apt; and multiple nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Saturday, February 29, 2020 at the Waynesboro Chapel of Reynolds Hamrick Funeral Homes. Burial will be private. The family invites anyone who knew Lily to come to the funeral and then share memories at a reception/luncheon/ Celebration of Life afterwards.

There will be no public viewing or visitation at the funeral home.

Memorials may be given to Waynesboro Public Library, or other organization of your choice.

The family of Lily Tichenor wishes to extend our sincere thanks to many, many caregivers; the members of the Waynesboro First Aid Crew, especially the female members who were so strong; and one persistent physical therapist, Ugo Solomon, who all helped her reach 100 years of age which has been a goal of hers for the last 10 years, and perhaps longer.

Relatives and friends may share condolences and memories online with the family by visiting www.reynoldshamrickfuneralhomes.com.

Lily's Favorite Quote:

"Don't walk in front of me, I might not follow.

Don't walk behind me, I might not lead.

Walk beside me, and be my friend."