Marion Edward Hilliard

Marion Edward Hilliard, 91, of Cary, was born July 30, 1921 to Marion Taylor and Luella Key Hilliard in Lone Wolf, Oklahoma. After graduation from Roosevelt, Oklahoma High School, he joined the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Washington, D.C. There he met his wife, Helen Homesley from Cherryville, NC, who also worked at the FBI.

They were married June 6, 1943. He joined the US Army in 1943 and was captured in Belgium in the Battle of the Bulge by the German Army on December 16, 1944. He endured the bombing of Dresden, Germany with the small "Slaughterhouse Five" group (made famous by Kurt Vonnegut). He was considered missing in action until he was liberated in May 1945 in Czechoslavakia by the Russian Army. He escaped the Russian Army to get to the American Army. He returned to the US and rejoined the FBI and retired in 1979. While in Washington, DC, he received his BA in accounting at Southeastern University.

He spent many years in Washington, DC, Little Rock, Arkansas, Charlotte, NC and 20 years in Raleigh, NC with the FBI.

He moved to Oak Island, NC in 1980 and was active in many civic organizations. He and his wife were members of Oak Island Presbyterian Church. He spent eight years as NC Magistrate in Brunswick County, NC, while living on Oak Island.

In 2000, he and his wife moved to Cary, NC to be near their daughter, Linda. They lived at Woodland Terrace Retirement Community.

He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Helen Homesley Hilliard; daughter, Linda Hilliard Yoskey and her husband, Victor of Apex, NC; son, Jerry Edward Hilliard and his wife, CeCe of Fayetteville, Arkansas. He also has two grandsons, Rob and Kyle Harrison; and two great granddaughters. Marion had two younger brothers, Charles and Harold, who have since passed away.

Throughout his life he helped many friends and relatives. He will be especially missed by the caregivers at Woodland Terrace.

A graveside service will be held at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.

In lieu of flowers, contributions should be sent to the Woodland Terrace Caregivers Fund, 300 Kildaire Woods Dr., Cary, NC
27511.

Condolences may be sent to www.BrownWynneCary.com