Joel Houston Hillis, Sr., 86, of East Ridge, Tenn. passed from this earth on June 28, 2023. He was at home in the presence of his loved ones.
Joel was born in Gallatin on April 10, 1937 to Leslie Hillis and Leona Johnson Hillis. He lived there a short time before moving to Cummingsville, in Van Buren County. He attended Cummingsville Elementary School and Van Buren High School. After graduation, he attended Tennessee Tech where he earned degrees in Mathematics and Civil Engineering. After graduating Tech, he joined the Tennessee Highway Department as a Rural Roads Engineer for Region Two. This covered 14 counties from Kentucky to Georgia. He worked there for 38 years, ending his tenure as a bridge inspector. Joel was owner and manager of H & C Religious Bookstore for 30 years. He traveled and serviced 15 states. Joel was also a member of the Tennessee National Guard for 10 years.
He was a member of Green’s Lake Road Church of Christ for over 50 years, where he served as a deacon, elder and youth director. He was active in the bus ministry as a driver, and later he attended Ridgedale Church of Christ.
He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Judy Hillis.; his sons, Joel Houston Hillis, Jr. (Maria), Perry David Hillis (Terri), William James (Cindy); his four grandchildren Mason Hillis, Joshua Hillis (Chrissa), Morgan Hillis, Ethan Hillis; and his sister, Camilla Carter (Michael).
Jim Lewis and Paul Stidham will officiate his funeral services at Chattanooga Funeral Home, East Chapel at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 1. The family will receive friends from noon – 2 p.m. Saturday at the East Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home. Joel will be buried at Laurel Creek Cemetery in Van Buren County at 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 1.
The family would like to thank all of the Hospice staff for their compassionate and tender care over the past three years, especially Amanda. Additionally, we would like to thank our special friend and extended family member, Louise Taylor, for her care and dear friendship to Joel in his last days. We could not have done it without all of you.
Please share your thoughts and memories at www.ChattanoogaEastChapel.com.
Southern Standard
(McMinnville, Tenn.) June 30, 2023
