Ericha Lenore Tiller, age 57, passed away unexpectedly at home on January 9, 2025, in Medford, Oregon, after a brief bout of flu-like symptoms. Born on June 29, 1967, in Lincoln, Illinois, to Michael and Sandra Crews, Ericha was a strong and vibrant presence in the lives of family and friends.

Ericha attended Lincoln Elementary District 27 schools and Lincoln Community High School, graduating in 1985. She participated in many activities during her elementary and high school years, including the swim team, softball, band, speech team, plays and musicals, and cheerleading, as well as babysitting.

After attending Illinois State University, Ericha embarked on a career as an On-Air Radio Personality and was well-regarded for her voice and personality on stations in Central Illinois, Michigan, and Indiana. In 2000, she moved to Southern Oregon, where she worked for the Southern Oregon Education District as an Educational Assistant. She also provided respite care and training for children with significant disabilities, especially those with autism spectrum disorder. She met her future husband, Dan, a musician who composed a song for her ending with the line "I want to marry you."

Ericha's love of music was a thread woven throughout her life as well as her lifelong advocacy for animals. She rescued countless cats and dogs, providing them with a safe haven and a second chance at life. Her appreciation for the outdoors led her to seek adventures under the open sky, finding solace and strength in nature's beauty.

Political activism was another area where Ericha's passion was deeply felt. She worked tirelessly to seek and share information about and advocate for current issues. For example, as a teenager, Ericha participated in the ERA March in Springfield, Illinois (in 1981) with her mother and sister and more recently in the Women's March of 2017.

Ericha's legacy is carried on by the family she proudly loved: her husband Danny Lee Tiller, Jr. of Medford, Oregon; sons, Erich Daniel Tiller of Ashland, Oregon, Dayton Michael Tiller, and stepson Austin Tiller, both of Medford, Oregon; her parents, Michael Crews of Springfield, Illinois and Sandra Heinzel Crews of Medford, Oregon; her sister, Marta Christine Crews (Jeffrey Shull) of Lincoln, Illinois; her aunt Shirlee Johnson (Gordon Johnson) of Lincoln, Illinois; and her uncle Donald Heinzel (Mary Kae Heinzel) of Peoria, Illinois. She was preceded in death by her cherished maternal grandparents, Carl and Geraldine Heinzel, great grandmother Clara Hopp, and paternal grandparents Estill and Cecelia Crews, her uncle Thomas Crews, and other extended family relatives who had a profound impact on her life.

Ericha Lenore Tiller's journey through life encompassed challenges but also determination and joy. We now mourn the loss of possibility regarding her health, happiness, and purpose. And, while she will be deeply missed, her essence and influence will forever remain in the hearts of those who knew her. Her spirit will continue to resonate in the lives she touched, in every rescued animal she cared for, and in the beauty of the music and natural world she treasured.

A Service of Remembrance will be held at 2:00 P.M. on May 1, 2025 at Perl Funeral Home in Medford, Oregon and a Celebration of Life at the American Legion in Lincoln, Illinois at 3:00 P.M. on June 29, 2025. Those who attend these services are encouraged to wear purple to showcase Ericha's favorite color. Memorial donations can be made to The Story (formerly the Christian Church of Ashland, where she and Dan were married in 2004).