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BORN

1928

DIED

2016

Joann Hillard Obituary

Hillard, Joann



Joann Hillard passed on from this world, and went home after all her travels for the final time in January of 2016, dying of complications from congestive heart failure. She was born on March 31, 1928, in Knoxville, Tennessee, and moved to Artesia, New Mexico when she was only a year old. She was an only child, and the pride of her parents, Morrison and Thelma Livingston. Joann made close friendships as a young child that she would nurture and keep until her death some eighty years later. She was an active student, both socially and academically, and was the valedictorian of her graduating class. Joann moved to Albuquerque, and went on to academic honors at the University of New Mexico, where she graduated with a degree in journalism. Although she had the highest grade point average in the school of journalism, she was unable to join the Journalism Society, due to her gender.

She married Duane Hillard, her high school sweetheart from Artesia, and had two sons, Michael and Gary Hillard. She was an active and loving mother, caring for her sons, and her husband Duane, as he suffered from cancer. After Duane Hillard's death, she later married Charles Harris, and the two of them traveled the country with a small trailer and her beloved black lab, Tippy, for some twenty years, making friends along the road. After Charles's death, Joann found new friends at the YMCA on Indian School Road, where she enjoyed both the exercise and the conversations and coffee.

When Joann was no longer able to live alone, she moved to The Villages at Alemeda, where she again found and made close friends. Joann loved New Mexico, and loved the Sandia Mountains, where her ashes have been spread.

Her memorial service was attended by her sons, her grandchildren and her many, many friends from her whole life. Joann provided us all with a lesson about how to live, and how to love the people in our lives. Joann joins her loving family and friends, including her granddaughter, Briana Hillard, and is survived by her sons, Michael and Gary; her grandchildren, Sarah Hillard, Harmony Jones, Devon Hillard, Jasmine Young, Mathias Hillard, Autumn Hillard, Kelsey Hillard, Oliver Hillard, Yale Hillard, Catalina Hillard; and her great-grandchildren, Asher, Leila and Trinity Young, Zander, Zoe and Elle Jones, and Jordan Hillard. "Grams" was loved by all, family and friends, and will be sorely missed. Gifts may be made to the Joann Hillard Memorial Fund at the HB & Lucille Horn Family YMCA, 4901 Indian School Rd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110 (505) 265-6971.

Published by Albuquerque Journal on Mar. 27, 2016.
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