August 4, 2025, 85, Goldsboro —
In sadness and love we announce the passing of Mrs. Yvonne Johnson Tillman of the Calypso area on Monday, August 4, 2025. She was 85 years of age.
Born on May 12, 1940, to A.D. and Hazel Johnson of Calypso, Yvonne had a life full of love and devotion as a wife, daughter, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend to many. Her sweetness and care for her friends, family and strangers were unmatched. She was well known and loved in her hometown of Calypso where she grew up as a child and then lived in her adult years. Prior to her retirement in 2005, she was employed by BellSouth in both the Goldsboro and Raleigh areas. Following her retirement from BellSouth, she gained employment at Mt. Olive Pharmacy. Yvonne loved to travel and had been to such destinations as Maui, Las Vegas, New York City, The Greenbrier and Sunset Beach to name a few of her favorites. Yvonne lived with her daughter and son-in-law, Lisa Tillman Weeks and Bill Weeks, prior to 2020 when at that time she resided at Magnolia Glen Assisted Living Facility where she was known for her outstanding abilities in Wii Bowling and corn hole. She also loved to play Bingo and do her word search books.
Yvonne is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Lisa Tillman Weeks and Bill Weeks of Raleigh; a son, Gary (Buster) Tillman of Hampstead; grandchildren Casey Tillman Kelly, Gary Mark Tillman, Ryan Tillman and Heather, April Tillman Goodson and Josh, Michael Weeks, and Whitney Behrend and Mike; and five great-grandchildren Rhylea Kelly, Clay Tillman, Marley Tillman and Corbin and Carson Goodson.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Gary Tillman; her son, Mark Tillman; her parents, Hazel and A.D. Johnson and an infant sibling.
Special thanks are given to Yvonne’s caregivers at Magnolia Glen Assisted Living Facility and Transitions HospiceCare for their love and compassionate care. A special note of extreme gratitude goes to her cousin, Joe Anne Pate, who has always been gracious, kind and full of love and support for Yvonne over their lifetimes together.
Graveside services will be held at the Calypso Cemetery on Thursday, August 7, 2025, at 11:00am. Officiating pastor will be Rev. Andy Beard. Flowers are welcome, or memorial gifts may be made to Calypso Baptist Church or Transitions HospiceCare of Raleigh in honor of Yvonne.
