Jack Leroy Hillman, loving husband, devoted family man, thoughtful brother, faithful friend, proud veteran, and self taught mechanic and builder, age 89, resident of Pinon Hills, died November 13, 2011. A lifelong Californian, he was born June 11, 1922 in Shale, California, a remote oil lease in Kern County. He served in the Army Air Corps and USAF from 1940 to 1971, retiring as Chief Warrant Officer. In 1950 Jack and Barbara relocated from Sacramento to Moreno Valley where they raised their family for 30 years, except for military assignments to Washington DC, Japan, Hawaii and Guam. They moved to Pinon Hills in 1980, where they were members of High Desert Baptist Church in Phelan, VFW post 2924 in Hesperia, and The Good Sam Club. Jack is survived by his wife, Barbara, of 66 years, daughters Elaine Stricklin of Glendora, CA, Lauren Odle of Minnesota, Jacalyn Behrends of Moreno Valley, CA, his son Jeffrey of Virginia, and his sister Marianne Hillman of Pomona, CA. Jack is also survived by nine grandchildren and seven great grandchildren, two of whom are named after him.
