Hermoine Edessie "Hermie" Surprise Thompson Tilman (Tillman?)
(1869-1974)

1941

Hermoine Edessie (Hermie) SURPRISE was born on 29 Sep 1869 in Lowell, IN. She died on 29 Jun 1974 in New York. She was buried on 3 Jul 1974 in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Los Angeles, California. At one time the now vacant lots on the south side of Commercial Ave, near the Mill St. intersection, were the site of thriving business buildings. Two frame buildings with tall, square fronts, typical of the era, were built about 1875. . . .

Abram Callner . . . owned the building on the east at about the turn of the century. He was known to have a junk shop in the alley and at one time he and his wife, Eleanor, were the managers of a dry goods store about a block east.

Hermoine Thompson Tilman, the last surviving child of pioneers Oliver and Carlinda Surprise, was the operator of a millinery shop at that old frame building. She was born in Lowell and died in New York in 1974 at the age of 104 years 9 months.

Her nephew, Harold Love of Lowell, recalls that she loved to dance and went to square dances at the age of 100. Her grandfather, 1833 pioneer Peter Surprise, was also still dancing at age 100, and boasted that none could keep up with him dancing the jig.

Mrs. Hermoine Tillman, the last surviving child of Oliver and Carlinda Surprise of Lowell, died June 29, 1974, at the Rockville Nursing Center in Rockville Center, New York.

She was born in the Lowell area on September 29, 1869, and at the time of death was 104 years and 9 months of age.

Services were held Monday, July 1, in New York, after which the body was taken to California. Services there were held July 3 in a chapel at Forest Lawn with burial in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Survivors are a granddaughter, Mrs. Dorothea Mae Johnke, two great grandchildren, several nieces and nephews, among whom are Mrs. Thomas Meadows, Mrs. Harold Love and Mr. Kenneth Surprise.

Many years ago Mrs. Tillman owned and operated a millinery shop in Lowell and will be remembered by our older Senior Citizens.