Lorean Anderson Tillotson

Lorean Anderson Tillotson died at age 101 and eight months April 7, 2013, in Albuquerque, N.M., where she had lived since December 2009. Lorean was born July 29, 1911, in Harmon, Ark., daughter of Louis and Mabel Anderson. She is predeceased by her brother, Preston Anderson; her sister, Leora Ford; and her husband, Kenneth Tillotson. She is survived by her son, Boyd Barger. After graduating from Elm Springs High School in 1930, Lorean went to Chicago, Ill., where she worked as a nurse maid for young children. She returned to Arkansas to study nursing at Sparks Memorial Hospital in Ft. Smith where she graduated as a registered nurse in 1940. She worked there until taking an assignment in 1941 with Zurich Insurance Company at the dispensary during construction of Norfolk Dam. There she met her first husband, Dr. O.B. Barger of Branch, Ark. Married in Philadelphia, Penn., in June of 1942, where then Captain Barger was posted in the U.S. Army, they later transferred to Washington, D.C., where Lorean worked in a hospital until returning to Arkansas in June of 1943 to await the birth of their son. Lorean returned to work at Sparks Hospital and later with the Crawford County Health Department. Lorean moved to Johnson, Ark., in 1949 and worked for several years at the Veterans' Administration Hospital in Fayetteville. Lorean and Kenneth Tillotson married in January of 1950 and resided on their farm on Carly Road in Springdale until moving to the Arkanshire Retirement Community in 1996. Kenneth died December 1999. Lorean remained in Springdale until moving to Albuquerque, N.M., to be with her son. She was a life-long member of the Elm Springs Methodist Church. In addition to her life-long passion for health care, Lorean loved to travel. She visited son, Boyd when he was stationed in the Air Force in Europe and talked fondly of traveling through Germany, Austria and England, especially of the tulip season in Holland. She often visited him when he later worked in Texas, New York, California and New Mexico. Graveside services will be 2 p.m. Thursday, April 11, 2013, at Bluff Cemetery in Springdale. Visitation will be from 9 to 11 a.m. at Sisco Funeral Chapel in Springdale. To sign the guestbook online please visit www.siscofuneral.com.