Jerry Hillard

Jerry Dee Hillard was born on September 4, 1952 in Lovington, NM to James (Dee) Preston and Imogene Isabel (Masterson) Hillard and passed away September 3, 2017 in Hobbs. He married Julie Marlena Wickham on May 15, 1984 in Hobbs. He was a faithful member of Taylor Street Church of Christ, a loving husband and a registered professional engineer. Jerry and Julie were also very active members of the Lea County Roadriders Motorcycle Club for many years. Jerry continued riding his motorcycle until his health prevented it.

He is survived by his wife Julie of Hobbs, sister Betty Jane Richardson of Hobbs, brothers James Allen (Francis) and Danny Preston (Teresa) of Lovington. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews and a host of extended family and friends.

He graduated from Lovington High School in 1970, from New Mexico Junior College in 1973 and New Mexico State University in 1975 With Highest Honors. He began his oilfield career with Halliburton where he learned to be a petroleum engineer. He worked for Antweil Oil Company until the oil bust of 1986 and joined Rice Engineering later that year. He worked for Rice, being groomed to one day take over the Permian Basin operations of the company, until he was disabled from a stroke in 1995.

Jerry and Julie taught Sunday school classes at Taylor Street Church, he was an amateur photographer and even after his stroke he was looking at the stars and building an oilfield out of Erector sets. He was featured in a Hobbs News Sun article in 2004 that talked about rebuilding his life after the stroke.

In August 2016, he was admitted to Landmark Desert Gardens Morningside where he received excellent care and made many friends. Special thanks to the nurses on the second floor for their love and care of Jerry and myself.

Service

Memorial Service

Taylor Street Church of Christ
216 E. Taylor
Hobbs, NM  88240
Saturday, September 9, 2017
11:00 am

Memorial Contributions

New Mexico Christian Childrens Home
1356 NM 236
Portales, NM  88130


The Children's Home of Lubbock
P.O. Box 2824
Lubbock, TX  79408