Mildred Thompson Hillman died early Sunday morning at Hospice of West Alabama. Mildred was born in Neshoba County Mississippi as the last child of parents James Buchanan Thompson and Minnie Lee Sistrunk Thompson. She enjoyed telling stories of the adventures of her younger life growing up on the farm near her birthplace. She chronicled that time of her life in a book titled “The Way It Was Back Then! 1926-1947”. In February of 1947 she married James “Jim” Hillman of Union, Mississippi. In the early years of their marriage, they lived in the Mississippi delta and coast and near Union. In 1950 they relocated to Childersburg, Alabama when Jim took a job with Coosa Pines Newsprint. Mildred busied herself with taking care of their two children and taking part in their activities as a cub scout den mother, Brownie and Girl Scout leader and school room mother. After the became a grandmother, she claimed a new title of “Nanny” which was the name she was known by to family for the remainder of her life. She will be remembered for her cooking skills, sewing prowess, love of her grandchildren and her stories of family and friends from her younger days. Mildred continued to live in Childersburg following the death of her husband Jim in 2008, relocating in 2019 to her daughter’s home in Northport, Alabama due to failing health. She was a longtime member of Childersburg First United Methodist Church and an early member of The Heritage Society which worked diligently to restore and preserve the Childersburg Grist Mill Park.
She was preceded in death by her husband Jim Hillman, all her siblings and granddaughter Leigh Ann Prisoc Dill. She is survived by her children Dwight Hillman ( Beryl) and Dianne Hillman Prisoc (Ronnie); Grandchildren Slade Prisoc , Melissa Prisoc Pate (Frankie), Susan Hillman Bryan (Jack), Blair Hillman Smith (Gordon), Jim Hillman (Heather), 16 great grands and two great great grands. The family would like to express a special thank you to Maribel Barrias who served as a sitter and friend while Mildred lived in Childersburg and occasionally in Northport. Also a special thank you to Sheila Stephens who provided emotional support and help to Dianne in Northport.
Funeral services are planned for 2:00 pm at First United Methodist in Childersburg on Saturday, December 3, followed by interment at Greenhill Memorial Gardens in Childersburg. Pallbearers are Slade Prisoc, Jim Hillman, Jay Hillman, Colby Pate, Frankie Pate, Von Bryan and Jack Bryan, Jr.
Due to continuing issues with Covid and Flu it is strongly recommended attendees practice Covid guidelines including the wearing of masks.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to First United Methodist of Childersburg, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital or Hospice of West Alabama. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.curtisandsonfunerals.com for the Hillman family.
