Josephine M. Tillemans

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 AM on Saturday, November 27, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in St. Joseph, for Josephine M. Tillemans, 81, of St. Joseph, who died November 24, 2010. The Reverend Joseph Feders, OSB, will officiate. Burial will be in the parish cemetery.

Visitation will be from 4:00-8:00 PM on Friday at the Daniel Funeral Home in St. Joseph, and after 9:30 AM at the church on Saturday. Parish prayers will be held at 5:00 PM on Friday at the funeral home in St. Joseph.

On Wednesday, November 24, Josephine Madeline Tillemans, passed gently into God’s hands, having suffered a massive stroke the day before. Her husband, Larry Tillemans, and all of her children and their spouses, as well as her grandchildren, were able to gather at her bedside to say goodbye and to hold her as she moved through heaven’s gates.

Josephine was born on November 15, 1929. She grew up as the third of five children on a farm in Milroy, MN, with her two brothers, Don and Richard, and with her two sisters, Mary and Rosemary. Her parents, Alois and Idalie Vroman, emigrated from Belgium and Josephine spoke Flemish in the home. Her life was one of studying hard and working in the fields and kitchen of her home. She rode a horse drawn sleigh to school with warm potatoes in her pockets to keep her hands warm. She graduated valedictorian from her class and her test scores in math were second in the state.

Josephine went on to attend St. Catherine’s nursing college in St. Paul. She worked as a RN at St. Mary’s Hospital in Minneapolis and while working, one of her patients, Larry Tillemans, flirted with her and was able to get her phone number from one of the nurses on the floor who reported to his aunt, Sister Harriet, who was the Mother Superior of the hospital.

Josephine married Larry on November 29, 1952. Larry worked as a salesman for Ralston Purina and traveled extensively. They had six children in a variety of small Midwestern towns: JoAnne, Dan, Lori, Steve , Tony, and Therese. The family settled in St. Joseph in 1971 and have enjoyed their lakeside home in Pleasant Acres. Larry and Josephine have loved their close knit community and are very involved in the St. Joseph Parish. Josephine was especially active in the prayer group at her church.

Josephine always sat her husband and her children and friends down at her beautiful table overlooking the lake for a long talk about what was really happening in their lives. While she herself was a private person, she scooped up all the sadness and joy of a person’s life and prayed for them. She loved birds, especially eagles. She prayed and meditated every morning and evening. She dearly loved her husband and took care of him and kept track of his and her children’s schedules. She instilled in all she guided and met a very strong belief in the moral fabric of a God centered life.

Josephine’s children have married and have given her 14 grandchildren whom she nurtured, adored and guided. JoAnne Tillemans was married to Pat Lawlor (who is since deceased) and her child is Grace. Dan Tillemans has two children, Tobias and Rebecca. Lori Tillemans has two children, Sean and Matthew. Steve Tillemans is married to Kathy and their child is Dylan. Tony Tillemans is married to Joyce and their children are Michala, Sam and Madelyn. Therese Tillemans is married to Kent Presler and their children are Nathan, Danae, Colton, Nikita and Tianna. All of these grandchildren will greatly miss their grandmother.

Josephine is survived by her husband Larry, all her children, and grandchildren, her sisters Mary (Allen) Battle, Rosemary (Joe) Herman, brother Richard (Helen) Vroman, and sisters-in-law Irma Vroman and Angela Tillemans. Josephine was preceded in death by her parents, Alois and Idalie Vroman and by her dearly loved brother Don Vroman. We believe these people helped guide her to her resting place in heaven.

Memorials are preferred to Mariannhill Mission Society, PO Box 87, Dearborn MI, 48121(in honor of Father Engelmar Unzeitig, Martyr at Dachau Concentration Camp).