William Campbell (Bill) Hilleary, age 95, of Spring City, passed away December 22, 2020. He was born October 1, 1925, to William & Bertha Campbell Hilleary in Cincinnati, Ohio, where his parents had gone from their Rhea County home to seek opportunity. After his mother’s death, when Bill was an infant, his father moved them back to Spring City, his home for the rest of his life. He graduated from Spring City High School in the midst of World War II. He subsequently joined the Army Air Corps, trained as a flight engineer, and was honorably discharged at the end of the war. He then studied Industrial Management at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, graduating in 1949. He and two close friends spent a memorable summer working on railroad and bridge construction in what was then the Territory of Alaska. After graduating, Bill joined his father at Southern Silk Mills where he worked from 1949 until 1978. In 1982 he founded SSM Industries which he actively led into his 80s.

Bill was a Christian, longtime member of the First Presbyterian Church of Spring City, and a current member of the New Beginnings Church in Spring City. He served his community in many capacities over the years including as a church elder, Boy Scout scoutmaster, officer in the U. S. Air Force Reserve, Trustee at Bryan College, Board Member of Rhea Medical Center, Justice of the Peace and Member of the Rhea County Quarterly Court, Board Member of the Friends of the Library of Spring City, and State Committeeman of the Tennessee Republican Party. He loved God, his family, his country, community, and the University of Tennessee and the Volunteers.

Bill was preceded in death by his wife of 56 years: Evelyon Vanderpool Hilleary; father: William Hilleary; mother: Bertha Campbell Hilleary; and his step-mother: Sarah Neil Hilleary.

Survivors include sons: Van (Meredith) Hilleary of Hendersonville, Tennessee, Brent (Meg) Hilleary of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and Scott (Debbie) Hilleary of Grandview, Tennessee; daughter: Allison (Phil) Chandler of Alcoa, Tennessee; grandchildren: Laura, Susanna, Ginny and Campbell Hilleary of Hendersonville, Tennessee,  Alex Hilleary of Cleveland, Ohio, Joseph Hilleary of Biddeford, Maine, Millie (Brian) Williams of Chattanooga, Parker Hilleary of Burlington, North Carolina, Rebecca (Brandon) Heath of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Drew Hilleary of Grandview, Tyler (Amanda) Chandler of Lenoir City, and Hilleary Chandler of Louisville, Tennessee; great-granddaughter: Jenna Chandler of Lenoir City; nephew: Jack (Phyllis) Vanderpool of Spring City; niece: Brenda (Mark) Monks of Fayetteville, Tennessee; and special friends: Nick and Renee Shipley of Dayton, Tennessee.

Because of the current severity of the COVID-19 crisis and out of concern for the health and safety of the community, the family will be holding a private graveside service at Spring City Cemetery. The service will be streamed by going to the following website live December 29, 2020 at 2 p.m. eastern for those who would like to safely join the family – via internet – in celebrating Bill’s life. :

https://everloved.com/life-of/william-hilleary/

An open, public celebration will be planned for later next year after the pandemic has subsided.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the New Beginnings Church located at 141 Clinton Avenue #1, mailing address P. O. Box 67, Spring City, TN 37381.

Vaughn Funeral Home of Spring City is in charge of the arrangements.