Tilley, 58, Union finance manager

Glenda Sykes Tilley, finance and personnel manager at the Student Union, died Tuesday at Duke University Medical Center. She was 58.

Tilley worked in the Union for 30 years. Before becoming manager, Tilley worked in the Student Activities Fund Office.

"Glenda gave her whole career to UNC because she loved it," said Deborah Horne, director of the office. "Carolina was her family."

Tilley continued to work even after she became eligible for retirement, and she seemed to be friends with everyone, Horne said.

"You could not walk across campus with her without being stopped by everyone," said Don Luse, director of the Union. "And if you ever needed anything, Glenda knew who to talk to."

Tilley was known to take Saturday shopping trips from sunrise to sunset.

"She always looked like she stepped out of a page in Cosmopolitan," Horne said.

Family and co-workers lauded Tilley's reliability and her sense of humor.

"I think if you could sum Glenda up in one sentence, you'd never met her," said Michael Vollmer, accounting technician at the office.

Tilley was never above having some fun and always wore a costume to work on Halloween.

"Every year, students would come to the office to see what she dressed as," Horne said. "And she would always have trick-or-treat candy for them."

Tilley's colleagues also remembered one story in particular that exemplified her fun-loving nature.

"We had a lengthy meeting and pretended to have an argument," Horne said. "I stormed into my office and slammed the door, and she followed me in like she was going to chew me out. Everyone in the office thought she was mad, but I couldn't keep a straight face."

Tilley graduated from Chapel Hill High School in 1963.

The funeral was held Friday morning at Antioch Baptist Church. Union offices closed Friday afternoon in memory of Tilley.

Tilley is survived by her husband of 40 years, Mack Tilley; her son, Greg, 39; and two grandchildren.

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.