Imogen (Abbott) Tillson Obituary (1924 - 2019)

DEXTER & TOPSHAM--Imogen (Abbott) Tillson, 95, passed away surrounded by family on December 30, 2019. Born to Fred Amos and Mary Evangeline (Redman) Abbott on January 4, 1924 in Washington DC., she attended schools in Dexter and St. Petersburg, FL, graduating from St. Petersburg High School in 1942. She attended Wellesley College and Syracuse University before graduating from the University of Maine in Orono. In 1944, she married Thomas Tillson and they began their life together in Syracuse, NY where their daughter Martha was born. Returning to Dexter in 1946, where her husband entered the family hardware business and their sons David and Richard were born. She taught 7th -8th grade mathematics for 15 years. An active member of her community, she served on the Board of Directors of the Amos Abbott Company for many years and was a trustee of the Abbott Memorial Library. She was a member of the Board of Corporators of the Skowhegan Savings Bank. She was a lifelong member of the First Universalist Church of Dexter which she served in many capacities. After retirement, she and Tom spent winters in Florida, summers in Dexter and enjoyed travelling, golfing, and playing tennis. She also enjoyed making dolls and stuffed bears for her family, friends and shut-ins. She was passionate about researching her family's genealogy which culminated with her publishing a book about George Amos Abbott, which coincided with the Abbott Memorial Library Centennial Celebration in 1995. Imogen was deeply committed to her family, especially spending time with her many grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was a woman of great enthusiasm who actively searched for the goodness in life and spread her love and optimism to all she met. She was predeceased by her husband of 60 years, Thomas R. Tillson and by her brothers George Amos Abbott and Fred Richard Abbott. She is survived by a daughter, Martha and husband Richard Pfirman of Dexter; 2 sons and their wives, David and Nancy Tillson of Westport, CT and Richard and Cynthia Tillson of Haddam, CT. She is also survived by seven grandchildren, Karen Rider, Christine Cake, Steven Pfirman, Jordan Oliver, Alexandra Tillson, Jonathan Tillson and Martha Tillson; nine great grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. The family wishes to express their gratitude to the staff at The Highlands in Topsham for their loving and professional care, as well as CHANS Home Health & Hospice of Brunswick for their tremendous support in the final days. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Dexter Historical Society, P. O. Box 481, Dexter, ME 04930, an organization that she cared deeply about for their efforts to preserve the story of her family and the wider community for generations to come. At her request, a celebration of life will be held later in the spring. Burial will be in the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Dexter. Arrangements are by Crosby & Neal, Dexter.