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HISTORY

Tillie is an Arlington native, born in 1936. She married Bob Burgin in September 1956 and later earned a bachelor's degree from North Texas State in 1959, and a master's in 1963.

Tillie began her career in the AISD in 1975 as a special education teacher. Later she serve as a special education supervisor, an ESL consultant and was director of personnel and administrative assistant for personnel. She was the district's first employee relations director, a position she held until her resignation in August 1988.

Tillie established Mission Arlington in 1986, and still serve as the charity's director. Mission Arlington began as a small Bible study group held at the apartment of a woman whose electric bill Tillie had helped pay.

The organization has expanded into 220 locations, providing food, clothing, and assistance to more than 3,000 needy residents each week. In October 2000, Tillie was inducted into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame by the Governor's Commission for Women. She also was awarded an honorary doctorate from Dallas Baptist University in 1998.

Bob, born in 1935, earned a bachelor's and a master's degree from the University of North Texas. He joined the AISD in 1960 as a math teacher at Carter Junior High.

He later taught at Arlington High before he, Tillie, and their two sons moved to Korea to teach at the Korea Baptist College and serve as principal at the Korea Christian Academy. Upon the couple's return to the U.S. in 1975. Bob was assigned to Hutcheson Junior High as assistant principal for one year, Gunn Junior High for four years, and Nichols Junior High for three years before becoming Nichols' principal in 1982.

In 1989. he was named principal at Arlington High, a position he held until his retirement in 1993, even after his retirement, Bob continued to serve the district's personnel department on a part time basis.