Birtie Lee Tilley, 79, passed away on Wednesday, May 3, 2023.

Birtie was born on July 12, 1943 to Birt Lee Barton and Beatrice (Dancer) Barton. Birtie married Gerald Lynn Tilley in Fitzhugh, Oklahoma on May 27, 1961. She graduated from Kansas University with a BS in Elementary Education in 1979. Birtie taught 4th grade in Wellsville, Kansas for 6 years and finished her career teaching 4th grade at Pauline South Elementary in Topeka, Kansas in 2002.

She loved sewing, quilting, gardening, and southern gospel music. Birtie also loved her Savior, Jesus Christ, and made a decision to follow him at the age of 10 years old. While at the Oklahoma State Fair with her parents, she visited a Child Evangelism Fellowship booth where she gave her life to Christ after hearing the Gospel presented through "The Wordless Book", a CEF training tool still used today.

Birtie is survived by her son Kyle (Kimberly) Tilley of Rogers, Arkansas; daughter, Lori (Mark) Troilo, Augusta, Kansas; grandchildren, Kaitlin Tilley, Brennan (Lisa) Tilley, and Brooke Tilley, Zack (Liz) Troilo, Nick (Kelsi) Troilo and Alexandra Troilo; great grandchildren, Jaiden, Jett and Sullivan Troilo, Jackson and Elizabeth Tilley.

Birtie is preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Gerald; and her son, Kendall RaDale Tilley.

Celebration of Life will be on Thrusday, May 18th at 3:00 p.m. at Grace First Church.