sep 3, 1936 - Teola Tillman

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On September 3, 1936, Teola Chandler was born in West Point, Mississippi, to Ellen and James Chandler, Sr. She attended West Point Mississippi grade school at White Station. She became a Christian and was baptized at Mt. Zion Baptist Church. Then, in June of 1950, she relocated to Kansas City, attending Northeast Junior High and graduating with honors from Sumner High School in 1955.

In 1959, she married Jerry Lee Tillman, and to their union came three daughters, Jeri Patrice, Teri Lynn, and Jae Lynette. The couple worked hard and became exceptionally successful, making a significant impact in the Northeast area of Kansas City, Kansas.

Teola Tillman worked at St. Margaret's Providence Hospital from 1951 to 1983. She completed her nurses' training as a Registered Nurse there and graduated with the first class of African American female nurses in 1959. Tillman continued her education at St.
Francis's College, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

From 1983 to 1998, Tillman worked for the Veterans Administration Hospital, where she was passionate about helping AIDS patients as an Infection Control Nurse. After that position, she worked for Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools from 1998 to 2009.

Tillman received countless awards during her nursing career and while volunteering for community service. She attained multiple certifications in her area of specialization, infectious disease control. One of her proudest moments was when Kansas Commissioner Kathleen Sebelius sought to work with her. Tillman became the Volunteer Coordinator for SHICK (Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas), a free program offering people the opportunity to speak with trained community volunteers about Medicare and other insurance concerns.

Tillman was known for her beautiful, nurturing, and contagious personality. She devoted herself to family, friends, patients, co-workers, and the community she loved. As a long-standing member of the Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Kansas City, Kansas, her faith and servant-minded leadership were at the forefront of everything she purposed to achieve in life.

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