Submitted by: Mary Jo Koran

SBT 12/20/1996

Gustave J. Tillman, Sr.

July 26, 1928 - Dec. 18, 1996

Gustave J. Tillman, Sr., 68, of Ironwood Road, South Bend, Ind., died at 7:38 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 18, in Orlando Regional Medical Center, Fla.

He was born in Eau Claire, Mich., on July 26, 1928, and had lived in the South Bend area most of his life. He was formerly employed as an engineer at Wheelabrator-Frye in Mishawaka, Ind., and was working part-time at Walt Disney World in Orlando. He was also a World War II Navy veteram.

Gustave married the former Mary Lou Dawson on Oct. 23, 1973, in Chicago, Ill. She survives along with his mother, Minnie Geisler, who lives in Benton Harbor, Mich. Gustave has six daughters, Kimberly Perkins of Phoenix, Ariz., Kay Bovee of South Bend, Karla Goers of Mishawaka, Karen Staggs of Nashville, Tenn, Barbara Redding of Three Oaks, Mich., and Sharon Tillman of Redding, Calif. He also is survived by four sons, Gustave J. ''Jimmy'' Tillman, Jr., of South Bend, John Tillman of Reno, Nev., Robert Tillman of Tracy, Calif., and Richard Tillman of Hayward, Calif. Gustave has 17 grandchildren; three sisters, Dorothy Wolf of St. Joseph, Mich., Elsie Borck of Watervliet,, Mich., and Janice Ray of Apple Valley, Calif.; and a brother, Robert Tillman of Eau Claire, Mich.

Gustave was a member of the Apostolic Temple Church of South Bend, where funeral services will be conducted by Pastor Peter Rowe, Paul Rowe, Worthy Rowe and David Rowe at 10 a.m. Monday, Dec. 23.

Friends may call at the Bubb Funeral Chapel North, 3910 N. Main St., Mishawaka, from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 22, and one hour prior to services at the Church. Burial will follow at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens, Osceola, Ind.

Memorial contributions may be made to the family or to the Apostolic Temple Church.