Angels and Atheists

摘要

Aprofessed atheist, Tillie said religion was a "crutch" that kept people from exerting their individuality. Though she had a Jewish background, Tillie had no need for a God. She was a spirited person who had been a pioneering, military woman in an era when women were discouraged from exerting personal power. So it was not surprising that Tillie was unconventional in her spiritual beliefs and noncon-forming with religious practices. At the end of her 86 years, Tillie prepared herself to die on the inpatient VA Hospice Unit. She set about this in the way that she had approached other things: matter-of-factly, with few words, and a sureness that conveyed acceptance.