Thelma Elizabeth Banner Tilley

May 9, 1919 - October 1, 2017

Thelma Elizabeth (Banner) Tilley, 98, of Big Stone Gap, Virginia, passed away at Heritage Hall Healthcare on October 1, 2017. She was the sixth of nine children of the late Eva L and Robert O Banner of Banner Elk, North Carolina. She was the loving wife of the late Albert Ross Tilley of Big Stone Gap. She graduated from Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk and was a medical secretary. Later she operated a private kindergarten in Big Stone Gap. She was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church. She was active for many years as a volunteer at Lonesome Pine Hospital. She is survived by one daughter, Janet (Tilley) Harding of Bluffton, South Carolina, her husband and three granddaughters. She is also survived by one son, Glenn Stephen Tilley of Chesapeake, Virginia, his wife and two grandsons. She is survived by one sister, Carlyene Lyerly of Hickory, North Carolina and many nieces and nephews. Burial will be private. A Memorial Service will be held at Holding Funeral Home at 1 p.m. Saturday, October 7, 2017 with Rev. Ronnie Mutter and Rev. Terry Goodman officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the: “Auxiliary-Lonesome Pine Hospital,” c/o Lonesome Pine Hospital Auxiliary, 1990 Holton Avenue, E. Big Stone Gap, VA 24219. To view the obituary online and offer condolences, please visit www.holdingfuneralhome.com. Holding Funeral Home is serving Mrs. Tilley’s family.