Robert Burton Hillis

ROBERT BURTON HILLIS

Robert (Bob) Burton Hillis born January 21, 1920; passed away at Odd Fellows on February 7, 2014 from complications of being 94 years old and living life to the fullest.

Burton & Floa (Hays) Hillis met and married in the Waitsburg area during wheat harvest. Within a few years they moved with their daughters, Bernice and Margaret (Sis), to Carter, Montana (near Fort Benton). There; Bob was born in a cabin delivered by a German midwife during one of the hardest winters ever recorded in Montana. Neither mother nor son saw a doctor for six months. At about nine months of age, the family moved back to Waitsburg.

At the age of three, Bob underwent hernia repair at a Walla Walla hospital and at the age of 5 followed his sisters to school and started his education. His family lived in different locations around Waitsburg, so Bob and his sisters attended multiple rural schools, often riding horseback to school.

In high school, Bob excelled in all sports as well as academics. He also worked at the gas station on the SE corner of Coppei and Preston Avenue in Waitsburg before school, during his lunch break and after school. When Bob was 16 years of age the owner of the station let him work harvest at the McKay Alto elevator packing wheat sacks. Bob made $5 per day while at the Grain Growers vs. $1 a day at the gas station. After high school he continued to work at the gas station while taking business college courses in Walla Walla.

On August 3, 1940 Bob was a “child bride” marrying Lois Spencer. Of this lifetime union, three children were born; Bobbie, Roger & Steven.

Bob worked various jobs early on, driving Coca-Cola delivery truck and produce delivery truck for Pacific Fruit and Produce in the Walla Walla area. He was also a deputy sheriff for Walla Walla County. For a few years he owned the Shell Oil distributorship in Prescott and was involved in some of the first crop dusting in the area. In September 1949 Bob approached E.L. Casey about leasing his farm on Manual Hollow. E.L. took him on and Bob started his farming career. Bob retired from farming in 1983 having farmed the Casey Place continuously for 43 years and the Mount Place for approximately 5 years (1975 to 1980).

He was a member of the Walla Walla Grain Growers, Walla Walla Masonic Lodge and a life member of the Elk Clubs BPOE #287. He was an avid bowler, a member of the Bowler’s Club and enjoyed participating in swimming, basketball and boating.

After retirement, he ran his daily “trap line” visiting various businesses and banks for conversation, coffee, cookies and HUGS. He truly enjoyed these visits and the friends he made over recent years.

This doesn’t even begin to cover a life of 94 years. Bob lived his life how he wanted, was very honest and fair and enjoyed life. He survived hernia repair, intestinal cancer, spinal fusion, heart bypass and eye surgeries as well as a broken leg (from a combine wreck) and being hit by a ricocheting bullet while target shooting.

Bob was preceded in death by his wife Lois (Spencer) Hillis, daughter Bobbie Riddle, son Steven Hillis as well as his parents and both sisters.

He is survived by son Roger Hillis, nephews John & Gary (Butch) Segraves, niece Ginger Henze, sister-in-law Peggy (Spencer) Green as well as several grandchildren and great grandchildren and many cousins in the Walla Walla area and in the mid-west.

A graveside funeral service will be held on Wednesday, February 12, 2014 at 1:00 PM at Mountain View Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Odd Fellows through Herring Funeral Home.

To his many friends, thank you for helping make his life complete.