David Hillery

David Hillery, 8/13/1936 - 12/13/2024

David Hillery of Boulder passed away peacefully on 12/13 at TRU Hospice after an eight years struggle with dementia.

David was born in Beverly MA on August 13,1936, to Harry and Helen Hillery. He was the youngest child, having three much older sister, Constance, Barbara and Helen. He attended Beverly public schools and graduated from Beverly,High School in 1954. He was a good student and athlete. While growing up he learned to pay golf from his father and was captain of the high school golf team. He also enjoyed soft ball and basketball.

Following high school, he attend Rensselear Polytechnic Institute in Troy NY, majoring in electrical engineering. He played lacrosse in college under Ned Harkness. He was in the Naval ROTC and upon graduation in 1958 he began 5 years as a navy pilot. He was stationed with the Atlantic fleet. He was very proud of his flying and LSO work on the aircraft carrier. He left the military in 1963 and began working for Grumman Aerospace on Long Island, NY on the LEM project.

Using his GI bill, he got a MBA from Adelphi University and began working for Lumex, a hospital supply company, heading up the CYBEX division, which developed and manufactured rehabilitation equipment for sports injuries. He saw the expansion of CYBEX from Bay Shore, NY to Ronkonkoma,NY. During his tenure they acquired a weight training company in Owatonna MN, expanding the CYBEX brand. He left CYBEX in 1991 and worked for Trotter Treadmill in Hopkinton MA and in 1993 moved to Boulder CO to head up a start-up company in sports rehabilitation. He retired from work in 1997.

In 1958, David married his first wife, Priscilla, and they had three children. They later divorced. He met his second wife Jeannette, the love of his life, playing tennis, a sport they both enjoyed. They were married in 1979 in Bellport NY. They enjoyed water activities of the Great South Bay and and Fire Island, and had a boat, did water skiing and windsurfing. They did a lot of traveling around the world. Dave continued to be a golfer and played some of the great old courses. Once retired he spent more time with golf, once playing in a pro-am. He was an excellent golf pro. He was a jogger and bicycle rider and always remained active.

Dave is survived by his wife Jeannette, his children Karen Hillery of Centerreach NY, Diane (Frank) Phelan, Springville NY, and David J. Hillery (Jenn) of Cape Coral FL. Granddaughters Melissa (Jeffry Rizza) Phelan, Missoula MT; Megan (Emil Erlandson) Phelan, Derby NY. and Alexa Hillery, Cape Coral FL. One great grandson, William Erlanson.

A memorial is planned at a future date.