Helen Elaine Tillman

Helen Elaine Tillman, 74, of Charleston, SC, entered into eternal rest on Friday, August 4, 2023.

She was born on March 28, 1949, in Charleston, SC, the daughter of the late Ruby Helen Glover Mims and Herbert J. Mims. People most commonly refer to her as Elaine. However, those that know and love her best call her “Nana”.

Elaine graduated from Rivers High School in Charleston. She was a proud military wife, as well as a selfless mother of two sons and a patient grandmother of three granddaughters. Her mothering extended beyond her own family as she volunteered in her community as a room-mother and team mother. She was president of the OptiMrs club and, in Decembers of the 1970s, could often be found helping at their Christmas tree lot on James Island. She worked for Stuhr’s Funeral Home as well as for Oakbrook Pediatrics performing administrative roles for each.

Elaine is preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her loving husband of 56 years, Donald E. Tillman; her sons, Donald E. Tillman, Jr. and Matthew J. Tillman, as well as daughter-in-law, Mary Kate Tillman and grandchildren: Erin, Katherine, and Anna Claire Tillman. Surviving family members also include Thomas and Bernice Walters and sisters-in-law, Kathy Tillman and Debbie Tillman.

To honor Elaine’s life, friends and family are invited to attend visitation on Wednesday, August 9, 2023, at McAlister-Smith Funeral Home, 347 Folly Road, Charleston, SC 29412. The visitation will begin at 5:00 PM and conclude at 7:00 PM. A funeral service will be held the following day on Thursday, August 10, 2023, also at McAlister-Smith. The service will commence at 11:00 AM, allowing loved ones to pay their final respects to Elaine.  Following the funeral service, a burial will take place at Holy Cross Cemetery, located at 604 Fort Johnson Rd, Charleston, SC, at 12:00 PM. This will be a moment of reflection and remembrance as we bid farewell to a truly exceptional individual.

Elaine’s passing has left a void in the lives of those who knew her. However, we find solace in knowing that her impact on the world will always endure. Her memory will forever be associated with love and compassion, reminding us all to cherish the time we have with our loved ones and embrace the virtues that she embodied. Her departure from this world may leave us mourning, but it is important that we celebrate her life and the countless lives she touched. May her soul find eternal peace as her memory resonates within all of us.

Expressions of sympathy may be viewed or submitted online at mcalister-smith.com/.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to McAlister-Smith Funeral Home, 347 Folly Rd, Charleston, SC 29412,  843-614-8494.