Leonard Neal Hilliard

Leonard (Lynn) Neal Hilliard was born at home on May 25, 1941, in Killeen, TX. He was the son of a farmer and a housewife, and the youngest of three brothers (Ed, Richard). During his childhood, his family moved to Waco which is where they lived the majority of his life.

Lynn attended Waco High School. In 1961, he married Barbara Jones, to whom he was married for 53 years. Early in their marriage, Lynn enlisted in the Air Force. He was an administrative specialist, and his years were spent stateside as well as a tour in Berlin, Germany.

After being honorably discharged from Air Force duty, he moved back to Waco, TX, where he had a long career in the steel industry for over 40 years. He also had a lawn business in retirement.

Lynn and Barbara had two children (Scott and Andrea), four grandchildren (Justin, Chelsea, Raechel, Shelby), and three great-grandchildren (Ava, Gabriel, Segan). Lynn also had five stepchildren (Matt, Thomas, Randy, Alan, Annette) with Mary. He has one dog (Buck), who is a chocolate lab.

His wife, Barbara, preceded him in death in 2014, as did his daughter, Andrea, in 2007.

In 2015, he married Mary Cunningham, to whom he was married for ten years, including at the time of his death.

Lynn’s hobbies included various cars and trucks, 40’s and 50’s music, country and western music, old western movies, competitive softball, viewing and raising purple martins, and he was a supporter of the Wounded Warrior Project.

Lynn died on April 10, 2025, at Hillcrest Baylor Scott and White hospital, in Waco, TX, due to a head injury he sustained from a fall at home.

The funeral mass will be on Monday, April 14, 2025, at 1:00 PM, at St. Jerome’s Catholic Church in Hewitt, TX. Immediately following, he will be buried in Chapel Hill Cemetery at Waco Memorial Park, in Robinson, TX. A reception will follow the burial. It will be held back at St. Jerome’s Catholic Church at approximately 3:30 PM.