Denise Hilliard
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Denise 'Deni' Hilliard, 57, passed away Monday Aug. 16, 2010 at Memorial Hospital in Carbondale, Ill.
Denise was born Feb. 13, 1953 in St. Louis, Mo. to Robert William Hilliard and Shirley Vance (McGee) Hilliard. Denise was raised in Ferguson, Mo. where she spent her youth playing sports or attached to her dad's hip.
Denise graduated from the University of Missouri, St. Louis with a BA in Communications and Theater.
Denise worked for the University of Missouri from 1973 until 1986. She then moved to Southern Illinois and worked for Illinois Super Foods and Kroger Foods for many years before taking a job with ACS, A Xerox Company as a Production Control Specialist.
Denise loved the St. Louis Cardinals, was an accomplished carpenter, loved trains and building her model railroads, loved all animals, enjoyed traveling with friends and family and loved to vacation in the Smoky Mountains. Denise was happiest being at home, playing with her beloved dog Claude, working in her yard, and visiting with her neighbors.
Denise will be remembered for her endless energy, intelligence, kind heart and warm smile and she will be dearly missed by her many friends and family. Denise was passionate about being a donor and was able to help 50 to 75 people with her selfless gift as a tissue donor.
Denise became part of the Brown family in 1987 and loved spending time with her best friend Diane, brother Rich, niece Sarah, nephew Jacob, and the rest of the family including parents, grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles.
Denise attended the First Baptist Church in Carbondale and was very strong in her faith.
She is survived by her sister, Pamela Yeargain and her husband Bill of Bolivar, Mo.; her nephew Robert Yeargain and his wife Candy of Bolivar, Mo.; her niece Sarah Reynolds and her husband Kevin of Olathe, Kans.; her nephew Thad Yeargain and his wife Leslie of Tulsa, Okla. and her nephew Joshua Yeargain of Los Angeles, Calif. She also had many cousins and great nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by both of her parents.
Denise's family would like to say a special thanks to the many doctors, nurses and caregivers at Memorial Hospital in Carbondale for their dedication and excellent care of Denise during her recent stay.
A celebration of Denise's life was planned for family and friends at The View Church in Carbondale at 10:00 am on Saturday, Aug. 28, 2010 with a reception following.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to her favorite church, The View, and can be made at the celebration or following reception.