William E. “Bud” Tilden, longtime Porter resident, passed away Saturday,
February 26, 2011 at Home Away From Home in Valparaiso. He was 79.
Born December 1, 1931 in Gary, he was the son of William G. and Margaret E.
(Osberg) Tilden, who preceded him in death.
He is survived by his son, Craig Tilden, of Porter; granddaughters,
Christina Brizendine of Porter and Corinne (Nate) Peffers of Chesterton;
great-grandchildren, Haleigh, Skylar, Owen, William and Izabella. Also
brothers, James (Bonnie) Tilden of Chesterton and George Edward (Karen)
Tilden of Winsor, Wisc.; sister, Kathryn (Richard) Mills of New Market, N.H.;
sister-in-law Arlene Tilden of Porter, and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by daughter-in-law, Rhonda Tilden; brother Pat
Tilden and sister Marjorie Winn.
Bud was a well known Porter resident and was the founder of Tilden
Enterprises. He also owned and operated Tilden Feed and Supply in
Merrillville in the 1960’s. He served in various offices of the Porter Town
Council, Plan Commission, and the Park Board. He was the very first
president of the Porter Board of Zoning Appeals. He served in the US Army
during the Korean Conflict and was a longtime member of the American Legion
Post 503 of Porter and the VFW. He was named Citizen of the Year in 1988 by
the Fourth of July Committee and again in 2003 by the Taste of Porter
Festival. He was also named “King” of the Porter Sesquicentennial
Celebration in 2008. He has also received numerous other accolades for his
dedication and leadership. Bud loved traveling, gardening, bird watching and
walking. He always liked to fish and enjoyed fishing with his son Craig. He
was a graduate of Chesterton High School in 1949.
Cremation will take place at Carroll-Kelly Crematory in Gary and the family
will receive friends from 1 to 4 p.m., Saturday, March 5 at White-Love
Funeral Home, 525 S. 2nd Street, Chesterton.
Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association or the American
Diabetes Association.
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