Jean Louise (Hilyer) McGlamry, 91, passed away peacefully on May 9, 2022, in Columbus, Georgia. She was born on October 3, 1930, in Fremont, Nebraska to Christina Rudolph and Otis Carroll Hilyer and lived there until she was 11 when her family moved to Phenix City, Alabama. She was the fourth child among 8, including brothers Earl, Leon and Kenny and sisters Lois, Mary Esther, Ruth Ann and Carolyn.
Jean graduated in 1948 from Central High in Phenix City, Alabama. She was a real beauty, winning several pageants and serving as Head Majorette.
Jean met her true love, Max Reginald McGlamry and they married on December 28, 1950, enjoying nearly 70 years of marriage. They had two children, Sharon and Mike, for whom Jean was everything, the perfect Mom. She was supportive, caring, devoted and above all, loving. Jean was a Girl Scout leader for Sharon, arm wrestled Mike’s friends (and won) and otherwise ran the family.
Jean was a faithful and blessed Christian and had a deep faith in God. She was a long-time member of Rose Hill Methodist Church and then Wynnton United Methodist Church, where she was a proud member of the Good Will Sunday School class and an avid volunteer for Meals on Wheels. She was a committed servant whose actions spoke louder than words.
Jean was quite the athlete. Early in her marriage, she was a championship bowler and she later took up and excelled at golf, touring the southeast playing in Seniors’ events with Max. No doubt, they have probably already set a tee time in heaven.
Jean was preceded in death by her parents and her loving husband Max, who passed away during the first week of COVID shutdowns in March 2020, and her siblings Earl, Leon, Lois, Mary Esther, and Kenny. She is survived by her sisters, Ruth Ann Powers (Lamar) and Carolyn Helms (Tex). She is also survived by her two children, Sharon Kay Christopher (Jim) and Michael Lee McGlamry (Anne); grandchildren, Joseph Maxwell Hendrix (Jennifer), William Justin Hendrix (Amy), Caroline Gray McGlamry (Tyler), Katherine Hilyer McGlamry (Robert), Elizabeth Roehm McGlamry; and great-grandchildren, Avery Elizabeth Hendrix, Grace Elizabeth Hendrix, David Jeffrey Hendrix, Grant Thomas Hendrix, Charlotte Gray Dillard, Michael James Dillard, and Maeve Elizabeth Nonemaker. Maeve was born January 25, and Jean was so thrilled and blessed to have had a chance to meet her. Jean was greatly loved and will be sadly missed by her family.
A celebration of life for Jean will be held Thursday, May 19, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. at Wynton United Methodist Church, 2412 Wynnton Road, Columbus, Georgia, presided over by Pastor Jay Grantham, with a reception to follow in the Fellowship Hall. A private family graveside committal will be held later at Parkhill Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the Methodist Home for Children & Youth, 304 Pierce Ave., P.O Box 2525, Macon, Georgia, 31204, (478) 751-2800, [email protected].
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.shcolumbus.com for the McGlamry family.
