Hilliard

John F. "Jack" Hilliard, 81, of Butler died Thursday of lung cancer at Butler Memorial Hospital.

Born Sept. 27, 1926, in Butler, he was a son of Arthur F. "Jim" and Dorothy M. Finkler Hilliard.

He attended the Pleasant Valley One Room School.

Mr. Hilliard served in the Navy during World War II and earned the Victory Medal and the American Theatre ribbon. He was a member of the V.F.W. Post 249 in Butler.

He had worked at the Ellwood Tube Co. and Larkin & Co. in Butler as a machinist for 15 years. He then worked as a diesinker for Frewmill Diecraft in New Castle for 33 years until his retirement.

His hobbies were model trains and making one-of-a-kind wooden items. He also enjoyed studying old oil wells.

He was a member of St. Christopher at the Lake Roman Catholic Church in Prospect.

Surviving are his loving wife of 56 years, Donna Godot Hilliard; two nephews, Ronald Hilliard and his wife, Fran, of New Castle and Donald Hilliard and his wife, Pam, of Brandon, Fla.; a niece, Tammy Hilliard of Wimauma, Fla.; great-nieces and nephews, Heather, Tiffany and Ronny Joe Hilliard, Angel Shaner, and John A. Covert; great-great nieces and nephew, Mercedes, Harmony, and Russell.

He was preceded in death by his twin brother, Arthur B. "Jim" Hilliard; a niece, Diann, and a great-great niece, Lexus.

<B>HILLIARD</B> — Friends of John F. "Jack" Hilliard, who died Oct. 18, 2007, will be received from 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday at the <B>Geibel Funeral Home</B>, 201 E. Cunningham St. Funeral services will be at noon Monday at the funeral home. Burial will follow at the Calvary Cemetery.Information also is available at www.geibelfuneralhome.com.