Mary Delano (Tilley) Nelson Creson

Mrs. Mary Delano Tilley Nelson Creson, age 92, of Pinnacle, passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 27, 2025, at Forsyth Medical Center. She was born on October 3, 1932, to the late Reid and Ethyl Tilley.

Delano was a devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, lovingly known as “Mama D” to her family. She was a faithful member of Brims Grove Baptist Church and will be remembered for her kind and caring nature toward her friends and neighbors. A woman of quiet strength and generosity, she spent many years caring for her mother after she suffered a stroke.

She was known for her excellent cooking and baking—her pound cakes, chocolate pies, party mix, and peanut butter balls were family favorites, and her grandchildren treasured her mashed potatoes, which they considered the best ever. Delano also took great pride in her home and yard, and her attention to detail shone through in her superb housekeeping. With her gift for numbers, she could always balance books to the penny and spent much of her working life as an office manager at Bruner Oil.

Delano was preceded in death by two husbands, Johnny Nelson Sr. and William Creson; two brothers, Tommy Tilley and Cornelius Tilley; and one sister, Phoebe Ann Pegram.

Left to cherish her memory are her son, John (JB) Nelson, Jr. (Hunter); her daughter, Sharon Nelson Lopez (Tony); four grandchildren, Thomas Reid Nelson, Luke Claibourne Nelson, Nicolette Antonia Lopez, and Joseph Nicholas Lopez; two great-grandsons, Theodore John Nelson and Jonah Ray Nelson; as well as many dear friends and several nieces and nephews.

The family extends their heartfelt gratitude to the Mountain Valley palliative care team and nurses at Forsyth Medical Center, along with caregivers Cathy Williams, Donna Johnson, Kim Hill, and Rondalyn Blair for their dedicated compassion and care.

A graveside service will be held at 2:00 PM on Sunday, October 5, 2025, at Brims Grove Baptist Church Cemetery with Rev. Gerald Jones officiating. Following the service, family and friends are invited to gather in the church sanctuary for a time of fellowship.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Brim’s Grove Baptist Church or Mountain Valley Hospice.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mary Delano (Tilley) Nelson Creson, please visit our floral store.