Iola Harlene Tillerson, 89, of Edwardsville, died on July 30, 2024, at her home, surrounded by a loving family.
Funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 5, at Sunnyside Cemetery in Sorento. Perfetti-Assalley Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements.
Mrs. Tillerson was born on Jan. 28, 1935 in Sorento, the daughter of Harlan and Martha (Pope) Wall. She married John R. Tillerson in Edwardsville on Jan. 12, 1957, and he preceded her in death on March 10, 1977.
She was a woman of faith and believed in Jesus Christ. She spent much of her youth going to church revivals, church camps and Sunday worship. She worked for the Army Corps of Engineers for many years on huge computers that were the forerunners of the desktop computers used today. She enjoyed traveling in the United States, as well as abroad in Spain and Portugal. Her grandchildren enjoyed the many hours she spent reading to them and always read them, “just one more, Grandma.” She also taught the grandchildren to work puzzles and played records for them.
Mrs. Tillerson surprised the family with a secret sense of adventure when she went whitewafter rafting in her 60s and they also learned that she played the accordion. She loved driving around Edwardsville with her grandchildren, telling them about the Edwardsville she grew up in.
She is survived by her children, Stephen (Nenet) Tillerson of Renton, WA, Jim (Melanie) Tillerson of Edwardsville and Diane (Greg) LeClair of Mesa, AZ; grandchildren, Jeffrey LeClair, Kassandra Tillerson, Angelique Tillerson, Jordan (Lilly) Tillerson, Michaela Tillerson and Amaya Tillerson; and great-grandchildren, Mateo, Zoey and Atticus.
In addition to her parents and husband, Mrs. Tillerson was preceded in death by her brother and sister-in-law, David and Jeanette Wall and nephew, Michael Wall.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Edwardsville Public Library, 112 S. Kansas St., Edwardsville, IL 62025 or Whitley’s Wishes, PO Box 924, Edwardsville, IL 62025.
Condolences may be left at www.assalleyfuneralhomes.com
