NEW PALESTINE
Rose Marie (Feeney) Tilley, of New Palestine, Indiana, passed away on February 7, 2022.
Rose graduated from Little Flower Catholic School in 1956 and Scecina Memorial High School in 1960. She attended Butler University earning an Associate’s Degree in Secretarial Science in 1962. She was employed at Stewart Warner Corporation for 49 years. Rose was also an Associate of the Sisters of St Francis. In 1953, Rose and 4 of her friends created the JIOTZ (Just In Our Teens) Girls Club, which grew to 20 members by 1960. Her love of friends continued at Stewart Warner where she and three friends created the ‘BERL Girls’ (Betty Jo, Evelyn, Rosie &Louella). The BERL Girls enjoyed many crazy adventures together and treasured times were had by all. In her senior years, Rosie served as a caregiver for several close friends until their departures to Heaven. Her hobbies included scrapbooking, traveling and seeing Country Music Stars.
Rose is survived by her husband of 57 years, William Jennings Tilley Jr. She has three children, Kathleen Marie (Tilley) Fluke, William Jennings (Jerry) Tilley III (Anne Tilley), and Raeann Marie (Tilley) Fields (Jeremy Fields). She is also survived by her eight grandchildren: Courtney Kathleen (Fluke) Summitt (Ryan Summitt), Kelsey Celeste (Fluke) Ables (Ryan Ables), Carl Lucas Fluke, Dharma Anne Tilley, Corbin Jennings Tilley, Emily Kate Fields, Ethan Cade Fields, and Erik Andrew Fields. Additionally, Rose is survived by four great-grandchildren: Rylan Patrick Ables, Adilyn Rae Ables, Beck James Summitt and one on the way in July 2022.
She was the granddaughter of Martin Thomas Feeney, one of the two co-founders of the Feeney &Feeney Mortuaries. She was preceded in death by her parents Mary Theresa (Sullivan) Feeney and Thomas Edward Feeney as well as her brother Thomas Edward Feeney Jr. and her great-grandson Luca James Summitt.
Showing will be held at Erlewein Mortuary &Crematory, located at 1484 W US Highway 40, Greenfield, IN 46140 on Thursday, February 10, 2022 from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., with a Rosary Service at 3:30 p.m. The funeral mass will be held at St. Michael’s Catholic Church, located at 515 Jefferson Blvd, Greenfield, IN 46140 on Friday, February 11, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. Interment will follow at Washington Park Cemetery on East Washington Street in Indianapolis.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Michael’s Catholic Church or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (to which Rose was a faithful donor for many years). Friends may share a memory or condolence at www.erleweinmortuary.com.
