Frances Shannon TILLEY
Nashville, TN

NASHVILLE BANNER
June 10, 2004. She was born in Sharon, Tennessee on June 18, 1911, the daughter of the late
James Herman and Monte Nowlin Shannon. She was the only graduate of Sharon High School to 
receive three diplomas, one each in music, expression and literary. She attended Lambuth 
College, the University of Tennessee at Martin and received a B.S. Degree from Middle 
Tennessee State University. During summer vacations while attending Lambuth, she taught 
piano and played and sang on the radio. On July 2, 1933, she married Dr. W. Kenneth Tilley,
who preceded her in death. During World War II, while Dr. Tilley was stationed at Robins 
Field in Georgia, she started and taught kindergarten in her home and on returning to 
Lebanon after the war, taught at McClain School for ten years. She was active in civic 
organizations in Lebanon and was a Charter Member of the LaCoterie, a Member of the Lebanon 
Music Club and the Year Around Garden Club. Mrs. Tilley moved to Nashville in 1975, where 
she was a Member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the New Century Club, the 
Nashville Woman's Club, the Ladies Hermitage Association, the Association for the 
Preservation of Tennessee Antiquities, Sigma Kappa Sorority Alumnae and Cheekwood. She was 
an arts enthusiast and did much painting herself. She was a Member of the Church of Christ 
and taught Sunday School for many years. She is survived by two sons, James W. Tilley, 
Dr. K. Shannon Tilley and his wife Gwyn, a devoted and much loved daughter-in-law all of 
Nashville; two granddaughters, Cindy Tilley Finn of Corpus Christi, Texas and Michelle 
Tilley (Ray) Whitford of Knoxville; one great grandson, Austin Finn of Corpus Christi; 
special friends and caregivers, Eleanor Hooten, Effie Raines and Bertha Pilkerton. Remains 
are at Woodlawn Funeral Home where services will be conducted in the Chapel of Roses at 
2:30 p.m., Sunday, June 13, 2004 by Steve Blackman. Entombment will be in the Woodlawn 
Cross Mausoleum. Visitation will be two hours prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, 
contributions may be made to the Churches of Christ Disaster Relief; Alive Hospice; or the 
charity of one's choice. Arrangements by WOODLAWN FUNERAL HOME, 660 Thompson Lane, 383-4754.
A Dignity Memorial Provider