Ellen "Belle" Hilliard's Obituary
Ellen Jean (Barnett) Hilliard died peacefully in her home in Annapolis, Maryland, among family, on November 6, 2024.
Born on April 7, 1951 in Bethesda, Maryland, it wasn’t long before she was on the move with her Navy family to Alaska, to Minnesota, to Rhode Island, to Hawaii (where at the ripe age of 10 years old she was present as Hawaii was welcomed into statehood), to Kami Seya, Japan, to Florida, and back full circle to Ft. Meade, Maryland - bringing the count to 6 states and two countries all in the span of her first 15 years.
While attending Arundel High School, she met a fellow by the name of Dale Hilliard on her 16th birthday who impressed her with a first date in the front row of a Simon and Garfunkel concert. They married in 1972 and began building their family, with oldest son Christopher Todd born in 1974, followed by Benjamin Dale in 1976, and finally Adam in 1979. After graduating from Towson State as a speech therapist, she worked in the Anne Arundel County public school system. After this, she became a Real Estate Appraiser, eventually starting her own appraisal company and getting ahead of the work from home trend by several decades. Somebody needed to protect the house with three boys running around during the day; four boys in the evenings when Dale returned home from his diligent work. Her work was her income; her family was her joy.
Ellen was preceded in death by her parents, Sue and Harris (Barney) Barnett. Continuing her legacy are her sister Liz Schubert, her brother Jim Barnett, sons Christopher, Ben, and Adam Hilliard, daughter-in-law Amy Hilliard, beloved grandchildren Charlie, Mackenzie, and Addyson Hilliard, Hannah Clark, and Robert Walker and her beloved husband Dale Hilliard. And so many others.
A Memorial Service for Ellen Hilliard will be held at Lasting Tributes Cremation and Funeral Care (814 Bestgate Road, Annapolis, MD 21401) starting at 3:00pm on November 14th. Family and friends are also welcome to gather for viewing and visitation at 1:00pm and until the beginning of the service. In lieu of flowers, the Hilliard family would like to encourage friends to donate to "Linda's Legacy", an organization supporting the homeless and in particular, children in need.
https://www.homelessdrive.org/checkout/donate?donatePageId=58176f868419c25c3b5aed6c
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