Lillian Taylor Orme was born in 1911 at Kansas City, Kansas to Harry Alfred and Nora (Askew) Taylor. She graduated from Kansas City, Kansas Teachers College in 1932 and then attended the University of Kansas, receiving her Bachelor of Science degree in Education in 1941. In 1942, she married Beltron L. Orme. She returned to the University of Kansas, earning a Master of Science in Education degree in 1952 and an Education Specialist degree in 1962.

Orme was first employed as a classroom teacher and then as an elementary school principal, working at several schools in Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri. For the last seven years of her career, Orme worked at the Kansas City, Missouri Education central office. At the time of her retirement in 1979, Orme held the position of Director of Elementary Instruction for the school district of Kansas City. For her many years of service to Missouri education, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in 1978 named Orme a "Pioneer in Education."

Orme was a member of numerous organizations, including Alpha Kappa Alpha (Mu Omega chapter), Delta Kappa Gamma (Alpha chapter), the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Links, the Missouri Association of Elementary School Principals, the National Education Association, the National Elementary Principals Association, the School Adminsitrators Association, and the Kansas Citians.

Orme's leadership in various organizations included membership on the Board of Directors for the Philharmonic Women's Division, on the advisory board of the Community Children's Theatre, and on both the advisory board and Board of Directors for the YWCA of Kansas City, Missouri. As a member of the Women's Chamber of Commerce, she held the distinction of being the first minority elected to the Board of Directors.

Lillian T. Orme died on 22 April 1993 at Kansas City, Missouri.