Matilda “Tilly” Burhance, 79, a resident of Pawling for 62 years, and previously of Dover Plains, passed away Tuesday, October 6, 2015 at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, NY.
Born in Dover on May 1, 1936, Tilly was the daughter of the late Westley and Minnie Emma (Benson) Dennis. A member of the Pawling United Methodist Church and the United Methodist Women, she was very active in the church’s thrift store and working at the church’s spaghetti dinners. She was the owner and operator of Tilly’s Hard Times Café and worked at the dry cleaners in the Kalyto Plaza, both in Pawling. Tilly was also a former PTA member, and enjoyed cooking and being with her grandchildren.
Tilly is survived by her husband, Joseph Burrasca, with whom she made her home for 35 years; two sons, Frank and his wife, Linda, of Newtown, CT and Chad and his wife, Shannon, of Goldens Bridge; her daughter, Annie Rowe and her husband, Charlie, of Poughquag; grandchildren, Noah Burhance, Morgan and Logan Burhance, Tara Rowe, and Chuck Rowe and his wife, Ariana; and one great-granddaughter, Siena. She is predeceased by her first husband, Frank, who passed away on April 22, 1971.
Family and friends may call at the Horn & Thomes, Inc. Funeral Home, 83 East Main Street, Pawling on Thursday, October 8th from 2-4 and 7-9 PM. A funeral service will be held at the funeral home on Friday, October 9th at 10am. Burial will follow in Pawling Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Tilly to the Wounded WarriorProject, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675 or http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org.
For directions to the funeral home or to leave a condolence, please visitwww.hornandthomesfuneralhome.com.
