SILER CITY — In reality, Faye Tillman will never be located at the bottom of the ocean floor. Nor will she mow down a runner attempting to steal second on a baseball diamond or communicate the defensive signals.
But her Chatham County Council on Aging colleagues, past and present, had different ideas on a Wednesday afternoon at Western Chatham Senior Center.
“She’s like an octopus,” Western Center Activities & Wellness Specialist Olivia Hayden said. “She can do eight things at one time.”
Although lacking eight appendages on a day where Tillman was recognized for her 18 years of service to the Council — her last day as manager of the Western Center before retirement was Friday — she drew praise for one attribute that rose above all the others.
Steadiness. Stability. Dependable.
It was Dennis Streets, the COA’s former executive director, who likened Tillman to some of Major League Baseball’s greatest catchers. With a baseball in hand as he spoke, Streets had no problem citing the likes of Sandy Koufax and a litany of pitchers that could paint both sides of the plate and leave batters in stiches on their way back to the dugout.
But it was at the “2” position in the baseball scorebook — that of catcher — where names were harder to come by for Streets. The likes of Yogi Berra, Johnny Bench, Mike Piazza, and Yadier Molina were never uttered.
That was fine. And rather intentional. Tillman never sought the limelight. But when it came time to make a key organizational hire for the COA, Streets knew he could rely on Tillman to provide and help drill down to the key attributes a successful candidate had to have.
Many faces have come and gone through both centers in Pittsboro and Siler City during Tillman’s tenure with the council. But her presence proved unflappable and never budged, beginning as a part-time employee before eventually assuming the key leadership role at the Western Center.
“The closer it gets, the more-teary eyed I get,” Tillman said.
It’s that desire to serve the seniors of Chatham County that made the closing days of her career bittersweet even as she prepares to spend some extended quality time with her husband, Jerry.
However, one would be advised not to try to keep Tillman in a single place for too long. An attempt to hold a conversation about her career last week was quickly interrupted by a legitimate request.
There was a client in the library that needed to talk with her for a minute. Time was of the essence, but every step taken by Tillman on this day was bathed in purpose and an institutional knowledge of her surroundings.
The steady advocate for western Chatham’s seniors knows how to brighten a day with a simple word or smile. Or, she can speak on behalf of that one senior that needs just a little extra help with the electric or phone bill for a given month.
“The more I did with the seniors, the more I loved them,” Tillman said. “They make it a rewarding job. It’s the best job I’ve ever had. Because I’m helping somebody; I’m making somebody’s day if I can make one of them smile or laugh.”
Tillman, who cited the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic as the biggest challenge of her career, has seen a high rate of return among seniors who try out COA facilities on a trial basis.
“I think we’ve attracted more seniors that have come because they find out it’s a good place to come and visit,” Tillman said. “By doing some of the improvements to the building (ramps), it’s made it acceptable for some who were on a walker. The rocking chairs are encouraging to them. They can sit outside and chat to each other and some of the programs we do, they love. We’ve made it a good place for them to sit and socialize instead of being homebound.”
The time has come for Tillman to step into retirement and entrust the care of Western Center clients to a new generation. She departs, still with a watchful eye.
“If I know they’re going to be taken care of, I’ll be happy,” Tillman said. “Because remember — everybody’s going to be a senior if they live long enough.”
Tillman did have one parting assurance for the COA’s clients. With retirements come turnover and newer, often younger faces to assume the vacated roles. But that doesn’t mean the lines of communication have been severed.
“If they don’t treat you right, you call me,” Tillman assured. “Because I will come back!”