Reba L. Hilligas

Age 95, of Warsaw, passed away August 23, 2024 at the WCCHS Skilled Nursing Facility in Warsaw.

She was born December 4,1928 in Gainesville, NY, daughter of the late McKinley and Mary Elwell Prentice. Reba was a graduate of Letchworth Central School District in 1947. She was employed for a short time at Eastman Kodak Company in Rochester, NY and the Warsaw Knitting Mill in Warsaw, NY. Reba married her husband, Mitchel (Mitch) Hilligas, on April 30, 1949 and was happily married for 56 years until his passing in 2005. Reba was a homemaker but also assisted Mitch with many projects including helping with his refrigeration and electrical service business by taking telephone calls and bookkeeping.

She was a member of the North Gainesville United Methodist Church and the First United Methodist Church of Warsaw. She was also a member of the United Methodist Women and the Mission Circle of the Church. Her and Mitch enjoyed camping and were members of the Wyoming County Camping Association for many years. They enjoyed many family camping trips to Golden Beach Campground, Raquette Lake in the Adirondack Mountains, as well as their trips to Gettysburg. Her and Mitch enjoyed spending winter months in Florida for over 30 years where they maintained many old and new friendships along the way. Reba enjoyed gardening, crocheting, crafting, playing cards, working on puzzles and reading, especially her daily devotionals and verses from the Bible. She was known to be a great baker with her special cakes, chocolate chip, peanut butter and molasses cookies and of course the “best” apple and rhubarb pies around. 

Reba loved spending time with her family, and was very close with her siblings and their families. She lived a full and fruitful life creating cherished memories for her family along the way. 

Surviving are her son Dennis Hilligas of Portsmouth, VA; daughters, Robyn (Ed) Jordan of Warsaw and Lori Sackett of Fort Wayne, IN; her grandchildren, Kathleen (Ellen) Hilligas of New Port Richey, FL, Jason (Marivel) Hilligas of the Philippines, Erika (Mike) Reuter of Portsmouth, VA, Kimberly Jordan of Warsaw, Kyle (Jillian) Jordan of Warsaw, Zachary Sackett (Shelby Stevens) of Weymouth, MA, Josh Sackett (Sidney Higgenbotham-Wecht) of Fort Wayne, IN; her great grandchildren, Donald Alexander McCann III, Mason Hilligas, Chase Hilligas, Cameron Reuter, Marleigh Reuter, and Addyson Jordan; her sister Carol Smith of Portsmouth, VA; as well as her beloved nieces and nephews. She was the sister of the late Richard Prentice, Stanley Prentice, Lila Carlson, Dorothy Stoffer, and Roberta Cartwright. Reba was also predeceased by her daughter-in-law, Mary V. Hilligas.

As per her wishes there were no calling hours. Reba and Mitch’s ashes will be laid to rest with a private graveside service in Elmwood Cemetery, Pike, NY at the convenience of the family. Memorials may be made to the Warsaw Rescue Squad, 40 E. Buffalo St., Warsaw, NY 14569.

Psalm 73:26: “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”