Ronald Lee Hillier

Celebration of the Life of Ronald Lee Hillier

Ronald Lee Hillier, 92, of Sachse, Texas passed away on April 14, 2026 (just 2 months shy of his 93rd birthday), after a long battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his entire family including his two children and their spouses, five grandchildren and their spouses and three great granddaughters, all whom he deeply loved.

Ron was born on June 15,1933 in Wayne, Nebraska to Chrisian and Mildred Yaryan Andersen. Shortly before he was born, a sister was born to the couple but died at birth. Not long after Ron’s birth, his parents divorced and he and his mother moved to Texas where Mildred (Midge) met and married Reginald (Reggie) Charles Hillier, originally from Melbury Abbas, England. Reggie had two sons and one daughter when he married Midge and Ron became very close to them as he was growing up. He spent his younger years in a small town, Canyon, Texas, seventeen miles from Amarillo, Texas and then moved to Amarillo when he was in the eighth grade. He graduated from Amarillo High School in 1951 and immediately went to work for the Texas Highway Department during his summers and where he would eventually work as a Civil Engineer for 42 years. On his eighteenth birthday, he legally changed his name from Andersen to Hillier. He also met his future wife, Mattie Ruth Smith of Springer, New Mexico that day, who was visiting her grandparents in Amarillo and were good friends with Ron’s parents, Reggie and Midge Hillier. He was enrolled at Texas Technical College, (which later became Texas Tech University in 1969) in Lubbock, Texas but ended up spending his freshman year at Amarillo College because he spent his tuition money to buy a car so he could visit Ruth in New Mexico on the weekends. In the fall of 1952, he enrolled again at Texas Tech to complete his degree in Civil Engineering where he worked as an RA for his room and board. He was in the Air Force ROTC program which paid his tuition and upon graduation in the spring of 1956, he immediately moved to Pasadena, Texas for flight school where he graduated first in his class. His desire was to become a pilot but because of poor peripheral vision, became a navigator instead.

In September of 1954 he married the love of his life, Mattie Ruth who gave birth to a premature baby daughter in August of 1955. Upon finishing flight school, he was stationed at Spangdahlem Air Base, near Bitburg, Germany and was later transferred to the Bitburg Air Base where he served four years of active duty to repay the government for his college education. He flew B-66 bomber jets during the Cold War with Russia and made life-long friends while stationed in Germany. His wife and daughter joined him there in the fall of 1957 and while there, a son was born in the fall of 1958. His family was sent home in September of 1959, and Ron was transferred to England to finish his 4-year active-duty obligation. In April of 1960 he and his family arrived in Amarillo to begin his long and esteemed career as a Civil Engineer. He designed and oversaw the building of highways and bridges all over the Panhandle of Texas long before the computer age. Shortly after his active-duty service was complete, he joined the Air Force Reserves after being called up during the Bay of Pigs crisis in April of 1961. While in the reserve unit he flew C-124 cargo planes during the Vietnam War. Years later when the C-124s were grounded, he became a liaison officer to the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado and finally retired in November of 1984 as a Lt. Colonel after 27 years of service to his country.

Ron continued his career with the Highway Department until 1993 and retired as the Assistant District Engineer for District 4. While employed with the Texas Department of Transportation, he served on several state-wide committees with other renowned engineers to solve problems and plan for future highways and bridges all over the state. Because he was able to buy back the time he worked for the highway department during the summers, he retired with 42 years of distinguished employment with the state of Texas.

Ron enjoyed years of square dancing with his “sweetie”, traveled all over the country in their motor home and made many friends along the way. He loved fishing and spent many summers fishing with his kids and grandkids in Colorado and even enjoyed fishing with one of his great granddaughters. He taught fifth grade Sunday School for years, teaching both of his children during that time. He also coached his son’s basketball team and enjoyed doing that more than his son liked to play. He loved to watch his grandchildren in all their activities and traveled with his oldest granddaughter to watch her compete in the World competition of Odyssey of the Mind. He loved to sing even though there weren’t notes on the piano that came out of his mouth. He also loved his family deeply and would do anything in his power to help them, if necessary. He was a very dedicated caregiver for many years to his wife, Ruth of 66 years, who suffered a long illness with Lewy Body dementia. He eventually had to place her in a long-term memory care facility where she only lived twenty days before her death in October of 2020. Ron was extremely disciplined in every aspect of his life, probably due to the many years he spent in the military. He made his bed immediately after he arose for the day and did his exercises up until two days before the Lord called him Home.

He greatly loved his Lord and Savior and was a very dedicated believer. He went on many mission trips and was the hands and feet of Jesus, building homes, churches and spreading the gospel around the world. He loved to read the Bible and study God’s Word and was faithful to the very end of his life. When he entered Heaven’s Gate, he surely heard his Savior say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Ron is survived by his daughter Rhonda Carriker (Fred), son Craig Hillier (LeAnn), five grandchildren, Cara Aldrich (Ryan), Casi Carter (Chris), Cody Carriker (Katherine), Hope Hillier and Robert Hillier (Elon) and three great granddaughters, Marin Aldrich, Madeline Aldrich and Maeley Aldrich, sister-in-law Trevanion Smith, nephew Stephen Smith (Kim), Lynn Hillier, nieces Suzanne (Smith) Jones, Rena (Hillier) Dees (Kevin), Rayleen (Hillier) Cruz, Carole Ann (Hillier) Pinson (Mike), Regina (Hillier) Lovell, and many great nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Mattie Ruth, his parents, Reginald and Mildred Hillier, two brothers, Charles and Kenneth Hillier and sister, Kathleen (Hillier) Selander, brother-in-law Richard Smith, sister-in-law Nancy (Smith) Reames, brother-in-law Fred Reames, nieces Sheila (Reames) Belser, and Sheri (Reames) Seehorn.

A celebration of Ron’s life will be held Thursday, May 7 at 2:00 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Richardson, Texas. A private burial will be held Thursday, May 7 at the National Cemetery in Grand Prairie, Texas.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, St. Jude Children’s Hospital, the American Cancer Society, the Alzheimer’s Association or Amity Hospice of Dallas.