Sylvia Donnette Brooks Tilghman

BALTIMORE - Sylvia Donnette Brooks Tilghman, daughter of Gladys Mayo and the late Leroy Camper was born on Nov. 18, 1940, in Cambridge. She passed away on Tuesday, May 1, 2007, after a lengthy illness

Her primary education was at Pine Street Elementary School where she enjoyed being a majorette and playing the flute in the Drum and Bugle Corps. At Mace"s Lane High School, she was on the girls varsity basketball team and many clubs. She graduated with the Class of 1958 majoring in business education.

Mrs. Tilghman moved to Baltimore to attend Cortez Peters Business School and graduated in June 1960. While there, she pledged Alpha Delta Sorority. She always enjoyed traveling extensively. She continued her formal education at the Community College of Baltimore, where she received an Associate of Arts degree in Business Administration.

Sylvia was employed at the former Baltimore City Hospital (now Bay View Hospital). For 35-plus years, she worked at the Baltimore City Health Department, retiring from its Cherry Hill office in 2002.

She enjoyed bowling in leagues that included New Faith and the Hard Rollers Leagues and numerous tournaments nationwide. She was one of the founding members of the Taylors Island Family Reunion, in Dorchester County. This year, attendees will celebrate over 27 years of fellowship and reminiscing family history. Another highlight of her years was the monthly meetings and activities of the Class of 1958. For many years, she served as its secretary.

Mrs. Tilghman"s early years were spent as a member of Christ United Methodist Church in Aireys. She sang in the Junior Gospel Choir and traveled with the choir to churches all over the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Delaware and to Baltimore and New York. She had been a longtime member of Northwood-Appold United Methodist Church since the early 1980s. She was a member of the United Methodist Women, often helping with its meetings, programs and the Board of Child Care. For years, Mrs. Tilghman worked as a member of the Health and Welfare Committee, serving meals at a homeless shelter on Sunday evenings. She enjoyed working with the youth in Vacation Bible School, and the Saturday Jamboree Youth Program.

She is survived by her husband, Anthony Lankford Tilghman; children, Marlon Brooks Tilghman and his wife, Barbette Tilghman; grandchildren: Anton Moore, Steven Tilghman and Kyle Tilghman; siblings: Leroy Brooks, Alice "Pat" Blake, Joan Frederick (Bill), Eloise West, and Mary Hunt; aunt, Mabel Nedab of Cambridge and number of other relatives.

A viewing will be held from 3 – 8 p.m. today at the Vaughn Green Funeral Services, 4905 York Road, Baltimore.

Homegoing services will be held Saturday with a wake at 10:30 a.m. with funeral services at 11 a.m. at the

Northwood Appold United Methodist Church, 4499 Loch Raven Blvd, Baltimore.