Kern County CA Archives Obituaries.....Hillis , Eugene  December 27, 2005
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K T bluewolf@onemain.com December 31, 2005, 1:39 am

The Bakersfield Californian 
Hillis, Eugene "Gene"     
1935 - 2005 
 
Eugene (Gene) Hillis 
Services: Sat., Dec. 31, 9:30 a.m. 

A Celebration of Gene's Life will be held at Riverlakes Church, 4301 Calloway 
Drive, Saturday, December 31st at 9:30 a.m. Eugene Wakefield Hillis, 70, of 
Bakersfield, passed away December 27, 2005 in Bakersfield. Pastor Brian Murphy 
will officiate and interment will follow in Greenlawn Memorial Park, 3700 
River Blvd. Gene was born September 30, 1935 in Harrison, Arkansas to Wiley 
and Hattie Hillis. In 1945, Gene and his family moved to Bakersfield, where 
Gene graduated from Kern County Union High School. Gene started in banking in 
the early 1950's and went into engineering with the City of Bakersfield. 
Later, he moved his family to Barstow to be the Public Works Director for the 
city. He soon returned to Bakersfield to start an auto sales lot of his own. 
He eventually went into surveying with his partner and longtime friend, Larry 
Cloud. They did a majority of their work at Tejon Ranch. After "retirement" 
from Tejon Ranch, Gene had his own auto sales business and worked as an 
engineering consultant. His first and foremost love was his family. He adored 
his wife, Laurie, his children, grandchildren and all the family gatherings. 
He had a strong love of Christ and his church. His second love was horses and 
Gene was a Cowboy at heart. Gene's motto was not only did we pray together, 
but we rode together to stay together. He gave a helping hand to anyone in 
need and his "cowboy humor" was unequaled. He loved fishing and often visited 
the Eastern Sierra Mountains. Gene is survived by his wife, Laurie Hillis; 
children, Kathy and favorite son-in-law, Greg McDermott, Greg Hillis and 
friend, Mary Lucas, Kristi and Dave Hankins and John Adkisson; grandchildren, 
Jennifer Hillis, Philip and Kelley McDermott, Joshua, Spencer and Nathan 
Hankins. He was preceded in death by his parents, Wiley and Hattie Hillis, 
sisters, Ruby Tippit and Mary McAlister and his first wife, Betty, of 43 
years. Casketbearers will be Don Alfonso, Randy Crabtree, Chuck Goubert, Mike 
Hays, Philip McDermott and Dennis Shelton. Honorary Casketbearers will be 
Joshua, Spencer and Nathan Hankins, Mike McAlister, BJ Meeks and Rex Nelson. 
In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Gene's memory to the Cancer 
Society of Kern County or to Garces Memorial High School. No visitation is 
scheduled.

Greenlawn Mortuary Funeral Directors 
Legacy.com

Published in the Bakersfield Californian from 12/30/2005 - 12/31/2005.  


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Volunteer submission - No relation to deceased
No other information available from submitter.
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