Philip A. "Phil" Hilliard

Philip A. "Phil" Hilliard, 87, of Beaumont, died Monday, January 6, 2025. He was born on November 14, 1937, in Ranger to Edra Parks and Travis Hilliard.
Phil was born in Ranger, Texas and grew up in Olden, Texas. After High School, he joined the Army, serving proudly for three years. He married his childhood friend, Thelma Edwards, on September 5th, 1958, and this past year celebrated sixty-six years of marriage. After the Army, he received his BS from East Texas State University and his Masters of Education from Western New Mexico University. Phil and Thelma adopted three children over a six-year period and were blessed with four beautiful grandchildren. After twenty-one years of coaching, teaching and mentoring High School kids in Texas and New Mexico, they moved to Beaumont in 1984 and joined Trinity United Methodist Church. Phil taught adult Sunday School since 1968, starting at the age of 31. As he coached and traveled, he always taught a class at church. As a Certified Lay Speaker in the United Methodist Church, he taught the HAMACO class at Trinity for thirty-nine years until August 14th, 2023. On November 6, 2023, Phil and Thelma joined Wesley Methodist Church. Phil owned and managed National Foundation Repair Company in Beaumont and retired in 1995. In 1997, he began volunteering at the Stiles Maximum Security State Prison. Phil spent 19 years in prison ministry, working on Death Row at Terrell State Prison, conducted his own teaching and cell-to-cell ministries, and was a proud member of Kairos.
Survivors include his wife, Thelma Hilliard; children, Rob Hilliard and his wife, Debbie, of Dallas; Joey Hilliard and his wife, Shanoah, of Beaumont; Kristi Hilliard; and Bill Chalmers and his wife, Jackie, of Dickinson; brother, Jack Hilliard and his wife, Carolyn, of Arlington; grandchildren, Ryan Hilliard, Tanner Hilliard, Kylie Hilliard; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Phil is preceded in death by his parents; sister, Carol Owen; and grandson, Austin Hilliard.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude’s Place, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, Wesley Methodist Church, 3810 North Major Drive, Beaumont, Texas 77713, or Kairos Prison Ministry, 100 DeBary Plantation Boulevard, DeBary, Florida 32713.
A memorial service for Mr. Hilliard will be 2:00 p.m., Saturday, January 11, 2025, at Wesley Methodist, 3810 North Major Drive, Beaumont. His cremation arrangements were handled through Broussard's Crematorium under the direction of Broussard's, 1605 North Major, Beaumont.