They called her "Tillie the Slugger" — a nickname her mother would have despised, if she had known about it!

Unlike her four sisters, Tillie DeLaurentis would rather play softball than dolls. Whenever the neighborhood kids started up a game, Tillie was there. And at the age of 15, when she joined an official team for the first time, she had to hide her uniform from her mother, who did not approve of team sports for girls.

Today, at age 84, Tillie smiles when she remembers the shenanigans she pulled in order to follow her dreams. In an era when her family's — and society's — expectations for women were limited, Tillie was not afraid to be herself. She's a rare treasure whose life we are proud to be a part of at Village Woods.