William Hillenbrand
William "Bill" Hillenbrand died Friday, Dec. 10, 2010, at Boone Hospital Center in Columbia. He was 67.
Mr. Hillenbrand worked for Ralston Purina from the age of 22 until his retirement at the age of 52.
Diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease at 33, Mr. Hillenbrand was told he hadn't much time left to live — yet the father of three survived for another 34 years before dying from the disease.
Originally from St. Louis, Mr. Hillenbrand moved to Columbia in the late 1990s to enjoy retirement with his wife Kathleen (Floyd) Hillenbrand.
Mr. Hillenbrand is survived by his wife Kathleen; a twin brother John "Jack" Hillenbrand; five sisters, Kathleen Willman, Patricia Sansone, Mary Dierker, Margie Koopman and Marty Rocca; three daughters, Theresa Gunn, Holly Thompson and Beth Campbell; and seven granddaughters and seven grandsons.
"He was a great brother-in-law," Valerie LeRiche said. "He was a very loving and generous man to everybody."
Mr. Hillenbrand was a member of the Knights of Columbus and a parishioner of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Columbia.
Visitation will be held from 3 to 9 p.m. Monday at Collier's Funeral Home, 3400 N. Lindbergh Blvd. in St. Ann. The funeral will take place at 10:15 a.m. Tuesday at Collier's Funeral Home and will proceed to St. Monica Church, 12136 Olive Blvd., Creve Coeur, for an 11 a.m. Mass. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Priests for Life.
