Anna (An) Irene Tilford, age 78, passed away at home surrounded by family on August 10, 2020. An took us all by surprise (when didn't she) when she had a stroke 11 days earlier. After spending 4 days in the hospital, An was blessed to be able to return to her home. There she was surrounded by friends and family, singing hymns, and reading the Bible. We had many precious moments celebrating Jesus's love and An's faithful walk with God until the angels took her home to heaven.

An was born to Franklin and Helen Palmer, on October 25, 1941, in Elsberry, Missouri. Or as she like to say "Elsburree, Maasura". An was saved and sanctified (accepting Jesus as her personal Savior) the summer of 1960 and shortly after, traveled to Grenada with a group of friends on a six week mission trip to help with the music. She was a member of the Bible Holiness church, where she had her Exhorter's license. An had a passion for any kind of church service, sponsoring missionaries, and telling people about the promise of Heaven. That if you believe in Jesus, ask Him to forgive your sins, Jesus will save you.

While growing up, her parents pastored a church and she would get out of doing dinner dishes (much to the chagrin of her 3 sisters) by going to the church next door to practice piano. An didn't take music lessons but would practice piano in the dark so that when she was playing for church, she could look around, pray, or close her eyes, and not lose her place. Most amazingly, she would start a song, if the key was too low or high for whoever was singing, she would immediately change it in her head and away she'd go. Her dad played guitar and they would sing and play music together for church, revivals, and camp meeting. They recorded two records together and several family members joined them by playing music and/or singing. She loved the lyrics of songs and at every church she went to would ask to buy or borrow their song book as she always found a song in it that wasn't in her others. An also played accordion and organ and would amaze us by making it look easy.

An graduated from Ashland High School 1959 and married Lee Roy Tilford in 1966. They were married 54 years and had 4 children John, James, Barbara and Samuel. She did her best to teach John bass guitar by writing his notes in different keys, on all the songs, so no one had an excuse not to sing. She decided James needed to play the guitar and started him out on the ukulele. It kinda worked and James still loves music and sings a mean tenor line. Then Barb came along. An tried her best to teach piano by osmosis. Barb can play some by ear, some with her eyes closed, and all the keys (many times unfortunately) in between. Finally, Sam came along. She tried to teach him to play the piano and banjo. Bless their hearts, neither stuck, so he was voluntold to sing. Sam knows just about as many songs as she did and is known to go pulling out various hymnals looking for that one song.

An worked various jobs over the years including but not limited to: secretary for Harry and David's, selling enough Tupperware to earn a car, certified nursing assistant and home health aide.

Mom was known for having a lead foot and subsequently got many speeding tickets. Dad would like to point out, he only got one ticket his whole life and it was for parking on the wrong side of the street. In typical fashion, mom beat us to the finish line. An was reunited in Heaven with both parents, Helen and Franklin and her two sisters, Jane and Zola. She is survived by husband, Lee Tilford, and their children John (Rosanna) Tilford of Nampa, ID; James Tilford of Lebanon, OR; Barbara (Justin Wood) of Yakima, WA; and Sam (Crystal) Tilford of Myrtle Creek, OR. She will be missed by her sister, Frances; grandchildren Rachel (Colton), Josh (Jessica), Tamara, Levi, Andrew, Katelyn, Mary, Makya; nieces, nephews, extended family and many friends spanning the globe.

Graveside service will be for immediate family. Celebration of life will be held Saturday, August 15, in the evening. Contact family for details.