Betty Lucille Puryear Tillery was born January 25, 1939 in Winston-Salem, NC, the seventh of eleven children to the late Robert Lewis Puryear, Sr. and Clara Irene Barnes Puryear. Her life expired on Saturday, May 23, 2009. Betty attended the public schools of Winston-Salem and graduated from Atkins High School in 1957 as a member of the Crown and Septer Club (National Honor Society). She completed her college undergraduate work at North Carolina Central University where she received a B.S. degree in Mathematics in 1961 and was a soloist for the renowned NCCU choir. Continuing her desire to study more about curriculum reform in Mathematics, she, upon graduation, enrolled in the graduate school of Baldwin- Wallace College, Berea, Ohio.

Her further graduate studies included: the University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, where she studied under Dr. Max Beberman a pioneer of the "Modern Mathematics" era, Appalachian State University, Wake Forest University, Bowie State University, American University and the University of Maryland, College Park, MD, where she completed her requirements for a master's degree.

She was employed as a secondary Mathematics teacher for twenty-six years in the Prince George's County Public Schools of Maryland, the eleventh largest school system in the nation. During her tenure in P.G. County, she taught at Thomas Johnson, Jr. High School for 12 years and served as chairperson of the Math department. The remaining 14 years, she taught Math at Eleanor Roosevelt High School, a Science and Technology School for the county. After retiring from P.G. County Public Schools, Betty accepted a part-time teaching position at the University of Maryland, College Park, MD.

She later decided to accept another full-time position with the District of Columbia Public schools and was assigned to Alice Deal JHS in Upper N.W. Washington, DC. There she worked for six years before deciding to retire again. She retired this position on August 1, 2000.

Prior to moving to the Washington, DC Metropolitan area in 1968, Betty taught one year in Clarksville, VA at West End Sr. High School, one year at her Alma Mater, Atkins High School, Winston-Salem, NC and five years at J.F. Kennedy Jr. High School where she also served as chairperson of the Math department. In 1967, Betty was chosen by the Winston-Salem Jaycees as the "First-Runner-Up" as "Outstanding Young Educator of the Year," the first Black to receive the award.

Betty's professional accolades were numerous.

Her sorority, professional, and civic involvement included: Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., National Education Association, Maryland State Teacher's Association, Prince George's County Education Association, American Federation of Teachers, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, North Carolina Central Alumni Association and the NAACP.

She was a supportive member of St. Paul United Methodist Church in Winston-Salem, NC where she sang in the choir and was a member of the United Methodist Women. Even after Betty moved to Maryland, she never changed her home church membership from St. Paul. Instead she affiliated with Asbury United Methodist Church, Washington, DC.

She is survived by her husband, James Forest Tillery; one daughter, Erika Puryear Tillery; one grandson, Bain Alexander of Laurel, MD; two sisters, Joan Puryear Yarborough of Salt Lake City, UT and Linda Puryear Eaton (John) of Hanover, MD; five brothers, Robert Lewis Puryear, Jr. (Jenny), John E. Puryear (Pearl) and William A. Puryear (Jean) all of Philadelphia, PA, Earl Puryear (Valerie) and Samuel Gibson Puryear, Sr. (Barbara) of Winston-Salem, NC; twenty nieces and nephews all of whom were very close to her heart; two aunts, Camilla and Grace Harding of Yadkinville, NC. Among her friends are Cynthia H. Sellers of Upper Marlboro, MD, Hilda B. Pemberton of Norman, NC and one college play daughter Bessie Taylor of Raleigh, NC. Betty has many other relatives and friends which she cherished- grand nieces and grand nephews, cousins, co-educators and thousands of students too numerous to list.

Funeral services will be held at 12:00 Noon Friday, May 29, 2009 at St. Paul United Methodist Church with Dr. Donald Jenkins officiating. Entombment will follow at Gardens of Memory, Walkertown, NC. The family visitation will be held from 11:00 AM until 12 Noon on Friday at the church.