Thomas E. "Huey" Hilliard, 78, of Parker died of natural causes late Tuesday afternoon in the emergency room at Butler Memorial Hospital.

Born in Petrolia, Jan. 9, 1929, he was the son of Charles Hugh and Edna A. Furl Hilliard.

He was a Protestant.

Mr. Hilliard entered the Army on Jan. 3, 1952, and was honorably discharged on Dec. 17, 1953, with the rank of corporal. He was a life member of the VFW Post 7073 of Parker and a member of the American Legion Post 636 of Foxburg.

He retired in 1987 from the former C & K Coal Co. Prior to that, he worked for the Walker Gas and Oil Co. of Bruin and the Sedwick Lumber Co. of Parker.

He enjoyed vegetable and flower gardening and working with the mechanical aspects of automobiles.

Surviving are his wife, Annabelle Stewart Hilliard, whom he married July 6, 1950; a daughter, Patty Hilliard of Bradys Bend; a son, Dan Hilliard of Parker; five grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. He also is survived by a brother, Robert "Bob" Hilliard of Petrolia, and a number of nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by an infant sister and a brother.

<B>HILLIARD</B> — Friends of Thomas E. "Huey" Hilliard, who died Tuesday, May 1, 2007, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at the <B>H. Jack Buzard Funeral Home</B>, Wayne Street, Parker. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday in the funeral home with the Rev. Bessie Maihle, a retired United Methodist minister, officiating. Burial will be at the Parker Presbyterian Cemetery.Members of the VFW and American Legion will conduct full military honors at funeral home following the service.