GEORGIA, July 7 – Nettie Mae (“Tillie”) Cooper Garland, 97, of Savannah, GA, died Wednesday, July 6, 2011.

Tillie, as she was belovedly known by and to all her friends and family, was born November 24, 1913 in Leaksville, NC, to the late James David Cooper and Emma Roach Cooper. She was fifth in line of 10 children.

In 1932, Tillie left Leaksville and came to Farmville where she met and married in 1933 a prominent attorney, Robert Ernest Garland (affectionately known as “Enie”). After his death in 1969, Tillie chose to remain in her dear Farmville until 1997 when she moved to Savannah, GA, to live with her daughter and son-in-law, Sylvia and Robert Wickwire.

Mrs. Garland loved Farmville. It was truly her home – with nothing ever replacing it. In the 65 years that she spent in her precious community, she was an active member of the Farmville United Methodist Church, enjoying the Women's Circle and serving faithfully 11 years on the Altar Committee. She was also actively involved in The Farmville Woman's Club and The Longwood Garden Club, where she constantly won her blue ribbons. Gardening and flower arranging were two of her passions.

She is survived by a son, Joseph Eggleston Garland II and wife, Martha Norton of Charlottesville; daughter, Sylvia Cooper Garland Wickwire and husband, Robert Dennen of Savannah, GA; three grandchildren, S. Joseph Wickwire II and wife, Cindy Woods of Medway, MA, Anne Catherine Wickwire Banez and husband, Douglas Christopher of Davidson, NC, and Joseph Eggleston Garland III, of Charlottesville; four great-grandchildren, Jacqueline Woods Wickwire, Brendan Christopher Banez, Robert Michael Wickwire and Matthew Cooper Banez; numerous and beloved nieces and nephews and their children.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was predeceased by all of her siblings, James Alton Cooper, Melvin Courtney Cooper, William Kern Cooper, Pauline Virginia Cooper Grogan, Orene Roach Cooper Hewitt, Mildred Frances Cooper Lemons, Irene Elizabeth Cooper Ferguson, Joseph Doris Cooper Crescenzo, and Benjamin Franklin Cooper.

This beautiful lady was a special person in each of our lives and she shall be greatly missed and long remembered. She is now forever with the Lord.

Graveside service will be held Sunday, July 10, at 1 p.m. at Westview Cemetery, followed by a funeral service at 2 p.m. at the Farmville United Methodist Church, Farmville.

The family will receive friends Saturday night, July 9 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.

Doyne-Burger-Davis Funeral Home, Farmville, is in charge of arrangements.