Mr. James Houston (Dickie) Hillis, Sr., age 85, of McMinnville, TN, died Monday, September 02, 2024, at his residence. Born April 17, 1939, he was a Warren County Native, graduate of the Class of 1958 at City High School, served with the 11th Airborne Division with the U.S. Army stationed at Ft Carson, CO, where he broke his leg paratrooping, enjoyed a career in law enforcement working for the McMinnville Police Department and the Warren County Sheriff Department before beginning his banking career with City Bank & Trust Company for 36 years, Union Planters Bank for 3 years, and Homeland Community Bank for 4 years. Dickie enjoyed singing at church and sang bass with the Harmony Echoes for 42 years having overcome a life long speech impediment. He loved his family, his country, farming, quarter horses, quail hunting, his dogs, and served on the Board of Directors for City Bank & Trust Company, West Warren-Viola Utility District, Caney Fork Electric Co-Op, Inc., and the Joint Economic and Community Development Board, longtime member of Rockliff Church of Christ. Mr. Hillis was preceded in death by father I.V. (Grace) Hillis, mother Iris Hillis (O’Rene) Adams, sisters Lucille Wagner, Jeweline McGowan, and Anna Mae Sharp, brother Bobby Adams, brothers-in-law Robert and Larry Townsend, and Gary Davis, sister-in-law Oma Lee Hillis, mother-in-law Ruby Davis, father-in-law Robert Townsend, step-sister and brother-in-law Hoss and Faye Golden, and step-brother Everett “Spud” Powers.
Survived by wife and love of his life of 63 years Carolyn A. Townsend Hillis. They were introduced by friends at McCollum Buckley Drug Store in 1960 where Dickie told his cousin Homer Kirby “I’m going to marry that girl.” Children Vickie Carol Hillis, James H. Hillis Jr. and wife Monti Hillis, Bradley T. Hillis and wife Kim Hillis, and Teresa Hillis, sister Deborah Ballew, brothers I. V. Hillis, Jr., Julius Adams, and Bill Adams, grandchildren Lindsey and Bryan Matheny, Wesley and Darrell Cook, Tiffany Foster, Taylor Hillis, Cody Mackie, Hayley and Dennis Demps, Maggie Mangram, and Melissa Jones, and 20 great-grandchildren.
Funeral service will be at 2:00 P.M. Thursday, September 05, 2024, in the McMinnville Funeral Home Chapel. Bill Boyd, Bryan Covert, and Mike Bouldin will officiate. Interment will follow at Mt. View Cemetery. The Hillis family will receive friends Wednesday from 4:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. and again Thursday from 10:00 A.M. until 2:00 P.M. at the parlors of McMinnville Funeral Home. Memorial donations may be made to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Meals on Wheels, or to Lunches with Love Program at Rockliff Church of Christ.
