Donald S. Hillis

IN MEMORY
DONALD S. HILLIS

BORN
November 19, 1924
Wilmington, Delaware

PASSED AWAY
January 3, 2008
Sheldon, Iowa

FUNERAL SERVICE
2:30 P.M. Sunday, January 7, 2008
United Methodist Church, Archer, Iowa
Rev. Marvin Lindley ~ officiating

MUSIC
“In The Garden”
sung by Rob Lindley
CONGREGATIONAL HYMNS
“Amazing Grace”
“Hymn of Promise”
Organist: Donna Struve

FINAL RESTING PLACE
Graveside service 3P.M. Monday, January 7, 2008
at the Salem Cemetery in Moravia, Iowa

Arrangements under the care of
Vander Ploeg Funeral Home of Sheldon, Iowa

After today’s service relatives and friends are invited to join the family in the fellowship hall of the church.

DONALD S. HILLIS
Donald Show Hillis, age 83 of Sheldon, Iowa who died January 3, 2008 at the Sheldon Senior Care Center. Donald was born November 19, 1924 in Wilmington, Delaware, the youngest son of LeRoy and Anna L. Hillis. Donald’s father passed away when Donald was two years old and his mother was re-married to Maxwell O. Hammond the following year. Donald attended many schools as he traveled with his parents. He received his GED diploma when his older children were in high school. Donald met his future bride, Doris, while working at the Newark, Delaware airbase during World War II. Doris had received a financial bonus for transferring from a New York City airbase to the Delaware airbase. They had their first date when Donald walked Doris home from a USO dance at the airbase. A few months later, Donald and Doris were married on August 22, 1945 on Doris’ 19th birthday. To this union six children were born.
Donald worked as an apprentice machinist in his grandfather’s machine shop. By the end of his working career, he had advanced to the rank of Tool-and Die Maker, working mainly in the aircraft industry. Donald and Doris raised their family in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania and in Sarasota, Florida. In their early retirement years, Donald and Doris managed a motel in Pennsylvania. The couple retired to Floral City, Florida and in June of 2004, they moved to the Fieldcrest Assisted Living in Sheldon, Iowa and in February of 2007 to the Sanford Senior Care in Sheldon.
Donald’s many interest included history, reading, crewel and counted cross-stitch needlework, aviation and aerospace exploration.
Left to mourn Donald’s memory are his wife, Doris of Sheldon; and their five children: Rev. Doris and her husband, Rev. Marvin Lindley of Sheldon, Iowa; Donald Hillis of Portland, Oregon; Daryll Hillis of Ingliss, Florida; Dana and her husband, Tim Bell of DeLand, Florida and Dean and his wife, Tita Hillis of Clinton, Wisconsin; nineteen grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his father, LeRoy Hillis; his mother and step-father, Anna L. and Max Hammond; two brothers, Laymen and Marvin; and a daughter, Deborah Lynn Blankenship.