Former NC Senator Jerry Tillman dies

ARCHDALE  — Jerry Tillman, a longtime NC Senator representing Randolph County (and Moore County for a good part of his tenure), died on Saturday, Feb. 4.

Tillman was 82. He was born on Oct. 10, 1940. 

Arrangements were incomplete at the time of Randolph Hub’s Monday deadline. Cumby Family Funeral Service in Archdale is in charge of arrangements.

Tillman worked in public schools for 35 years in various roles, as a teacher, principal, assistant superintendent and a coach.

He was first elected to the NC Senate in 2002. The Archdale native served NC’s 26th and 29th districts for nine terms, from Jan. 1, 2003, until June 30, 2020, when he retired from office.

At the time of his retirement, less than a year after his wife, Marion, had passed and in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tillman said he wanted to “take time to enjoy my nine grandkids and three kids and their spouses.”

Among his accomplishments, Tillman pointed to his work on tax reform and teacher pay, including bonuses for principals based on merit.

He also worked to keep Randolph Health from going bankrupt.

On Monday, Gov. Roy Cooper ordered all US and North Carolina flags at state facilities to fly at half-staff immediately until sunset Tuesday, Feb. 7, in Tillman’s honor.