Floyd W. Tillotson, who served as mayor of the village of Liverpool from 1977 to 1981, died Wednesday, July 11, at his daughter’s home in Brownsville, Kentucky.
Mayor Tillotson succumbed to cancer at age 87. He had been living in Zephyrhills, Fla.
Prior to his election as mayor, Tillotson had served four terms as a village trustee, under previous Mayor Oliver Masters.
During his time at the village helm, Tillotson encouraged the development of Johnson Park. The construction of an amphitheater and pavilion was completed in 1984.
“Floyd started the project in 1980,” said Shirley Jefferson, an instrumental member of the Village Citizen Committee, which coordinated U.S. Bicentennial celebrations here in 1976 before turning its attention to Johnson Park.
“Mayor Tillotson said that, in keeping with our theme ‘Observing the Past, Celebrating in the Present, Planning for the Future,’ he had a project that would fit the last section – ‘planning for the future.’ For some time the village saw the need to redevelop Johnson Park but did not have the funds to proceed,” Jefferson remembered. Town and state sources later helped pay for the project.
Former Mayor Marlene Ward has fond memories of Floyd Tillotson.
“What I remember best about Floyd is what a really great gentleman he was,” Ward said. “He really deserved to be mayor, but he was also just such a good representative of the community, a real nice, down-to-earth person. He and his wife, Kathy, were both so full of life.”
While he was mayor, the four trustees serving with him on the village board were Charles Daucher, Hal Phillips, Jim Moore and Al Sahm. Moore and Sahm were each later elected mayor.
Ward praised Tillotson’s constancy.
“He never changed,” she said. “He was always the same whether he was running a meeting or just out in the community, he was always the same, nice person.”
After serving in World War II as a second lieutenant in the Army Air Corps, Tillotson became a volunteer fireman in the village and later served as police commissioner. He led Boy Scout Troop 65 for some time and was also active in the Sea Scout Program, American Legion Post 188, Elks and Masons. He was co-owner of G&T Supply, Inc.
Pre-deceased by his parents, his wife Kathleen and grandson Dan, Mayor Tillotson is survived by his brother Victor (Vivian) of North Syracuse, three children, Ron of Kentucky, Dave (Sue) of Liverpool, Donna (Steve) Corbitt of Kentucky and his longtime companion, Linda Nance, and her daughters Brenda and Rhonda, five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
A memorial service is being planned and details will be announced at a later date. Arrangements are by Maurer Funeral Home. Recollections of the former mayor and messages of sympathy can be posted at maurerfuneralhome.com.
