Lewis Lee Hillis

Lewis Ross Hillis, 83, of Poplar Bluff, Mo., formerly of Cash, Ark., passed away Monday, May 12, 2014 at his residence.

Mr. Hillis was born Jan. 11, 1931 in Little Texas, Ark. to the late Robert Henry and Mary Mathis Hillis. He was a member of Highland Drive Church of Christ in Poplar Bluff, and he was a retired barber and real estate agent. Mr. Hillis was a veteran of the U.S. Army and proudly served his country in the Korean Conflict. For his combat service he was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge, a Korean Service Medal as well as a United Nations Service Medal. Mr. Hillis enjoyed spending time with his family, singing and playing music, watching all types of sports, fishing and hunting.

On Aug. 13, 1955, he was married to the former Lavena Mae Guess, in Hernando, Miss. She survives of the home.

Other survivors include two children: Rhonda Jean Hillis Leon (Mike), of McHenry, Ill., and Ronald Henry Hillis, of Poplar Bluff; five grandchildren: Wil Hillis, Mikel Sadler and Lori Orton, all of Poplar Bluff and Luke Leon and John Leon, both of McHenry, Ill.; two great-grandchildren: Lane Henry Hillis and Drew Orton; three sisters: Deloris Wiseley, of St. Louis, Mo., Freda Ferguson, of Arizona and Viola Cato, of Bowling Green, Ky.; and a brother, Virgil Hillis, of Poplar Bluff.

A sister, Joy Yates and a half sister, Alta Collins also preceded Mr. Hillis in death.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Cotrell Funeral Chapel in Poplar Bluff. The funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday in the funeral chapel with Mr. Vernon Curry officiating and Mr. Mark North assisting. Burial with full military honors will be at the Brown Chapel Cemetery in Broseley, Mo.