Hilliard

Pressley L. Hilliard, 87, of Cochranton died Tuesday at UPMC Northwest in Seneca.

Born Oct. 6, 1924, in Butler County, he was the son of Clifford C. and Mary M. Campbell Hilliard.

He married Eleanor Boyer on June 5, 1973, and she preceded him in death on June 19, 1983.

He was a graduate of Concord High School.

After graduation, he served with the U.S. Army during World War II and obtained the rank of corporal. He was a paratrooper with the 152nd Airborne Battery A, seeing duty in Asia and the Pacific theaters and received three Bronze Stars.

Returning from the war, he worked for Armco Steel in Butler and also worked on the Hilliard grain farm with his father. In 1973, he was forced from his Butler County farm and moved to Crawford County, where he became a dairy farmer. He he also worked at the Ernst Conservation Seed Farm.

Some of his favorite accomplishments were having the chance to sign on with a custom combine outfit, which harvested grain from Texas to Canada. He also treated himself to a parachute jump on his birthday at the age of 71 at Sky Dive USA in Grove City.

He was a member of the French Creek Valley Antique Equipment Club, the Pioneer Steam and Gas Club and the Chapter 16 International Harvester Club. He also was a member of the Cochranton Missionary Alliance Church.

He is survived by three stepsons, William Manuel of Titusville, Donald Manuel and his wife, Kathy, of Petrolia and Robert “Toppy” Manuel and his wife, Denise, of Cochranton; a sister, Glee Marie Hilliard of Hilliards; a brother, Clifford K. Hilliard and his wife, Janice, of North Washington; 15 step-grandchildren; seven step-great-grandchildren; two nieces, Debra Williams and her husband, James, of Oil City and Sherri Adamson and her husband, Aaron, of North Washington; a nephew, Rick Hilliard and his wife, Karen, of Butler; five great-nieces and great-nephew; and two great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews. A close friend, Linda Kiser of Meadville; and a family friend, Maggie Alsdorf of Cochranton, also survive.

<B>HILLIARD</B> — Friends of Pressley L. Hilliard, who died Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2011, may call at <B>Dickson Family Funeral Home</B>, 123 S. Franklin St., Cochranton, from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home with the Rev. John McGarvey of the Cochranton Christian Missionary Alliance Church officiating. Burial will be in West Sunbury Union Cemetery.Military honors will be by the Cochranton American Legion Post 836.