Robert A. Tilton, 54, of Streamwood, a teacher at Sandburg Middle School in Elmhurst, died of cancer Monday, June 26, in his home. Born in Chicago, Mr. Tilton graduated from Leyden West High School in Northlake and obtained a bachelor of arts degree in elementary education from Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago. In 1974, he received a master’s degree in education administration from Northeastern Illinois. He was a teacher for School District 205 in Elmhurst and started out at Field Elementary School in Elmhurst. For the last decade, Mr. Tilton taught at Sandburg, where he also coached girls basketball and track and field. A resident of Streamwood for 27 years, Mr. Tilton stopped teaching last year because of his battle with cancer. “He was a like a big teddy bear,” said his daughter Tracy. “He was big-hearted and he was gentle.” Other survivors include his wife of 32 years, Laura; a son, Jeff; two more daughters, Julie Valant and Andrea; his mother, Mildred; and a brother, Glenn. A mass will be said at 10:30 a.m. Thursday in St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, 427 Cedar Crest Drive, Streamwood.
