John Robert Hilliard

John Robert Hilliard, 87, retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, passed August 26th at Holmes Regional Medical Center, Melbourne, FL following a courageous battle against cancer.

Born in Morgantown, WV on May 8, 1938, John was preceded in death by his parents Lt Col Robert C. and Geneva Hilliard, sister MaryJo Hilliard, son Steven C. Hilliard, and daughter Cheryl L. Lambert and her husband Scott.

John attended 17 schools as a military dependent living in South Carolina, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Germany, Louisiana, and Ohio. He came to Brevard County in 1953 from Akron, Ohio with his family. His father, Lieutenant Colonel Robert C. Hilliard, USAF, was assigned to Patrick AFB. John was a 1956 graduate of Cocoa High School and a 1960 graduate of Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia graduating with a BS in Electrical Engineering. He obtained his Master of Science Degree in Aerospace Management from the University of Southern California in 1966.

Col. Hilliard served over 23 years in the Air Force before retiring in 1983 at Andrews AFB, MD. He had extensive experience in the management of space and missile programs. He was a long-time member of the intelligence community, concentrating on scientific and technical intelligence, collection management, and international negotiations. His assignments included tours at F. E. Warren

AFB, WY as an Atlas E Missile Combat Crew Commander; Vandenberg AFB, CA. as a Space Test Conductor for the Thor-Agena/Atlas Agena/Thor-Delta; Eastern Kodak, Rochester, NY (Monitoring the construction of National Reconnaissance Organization photo reconnaissance satellites); the Pentagon and Andrews AFB, MD (Intelligence Officer); Chairman of Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) Weapon and Space Systems (WSSIC) Space Subcommitee. Finally, in the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), he had firsthand experience in negotiations of the Strategic Armed Limitation Treaty (SALT) with the Soviet Union in Geneva, Switzerland. After retiring from the Air Force, he spent 12 years at ANSER Inc. He retired from ANSER as Vice-President for Aerospace Systems in 1995. He moved back to Brevard County in 1998, living in Satellite Beach.

He was a lifetime member of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers (past Chapter Chairman); National Military Intelligence Association; Association of Air Force Missileers; Air Force Association; VMI Keydet Club; Secretary of the Air Force, Office of Special Projects (SAFSP) Alumni Association; Military Officers Association of America; Cape Canaveral Space Force Museum & Sands History Center Volunteer Association (past Chairman); and was a tour guide for Public Affairs and Protocol offices at Patrick Space Force Base. He was a media escort providing coverage of Cape Canaveral SFS for launches and as a Volunteer for Space Launch Delta 45th Public Affairs Office as well as a Volunteer at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Museum; The Military Order of the World Wars (past Chapter Commander), the

Space, Missile and Range Pioneers (Director) and as past President of the Moorings Homeowner Association.

He had a unique collection of information and photos of the United States space & missile programs including description of the Launch Complexes/sites, photos of most of the launches from Cape Canaveral SFS and Vandenberg SFB missile/rocket launches & write up/photos of over 750 missile/space systems. These items will be given to the Space Force/Air Force.

Survivors include his wife of 35 years Linda Ann (Lin) Hilliard of Satellite Beach, FL, five children; son Jeffrey S. Hilliard and wife Chris (TX), and grandchildren Carissa (NY), Zachary (TX) and Griffin and wife Cassie (NC), grandson Ryan Lambert and wife Allison and great grandson Garrett (MD), son John C. Hilliard and wife Jennifer and grandson John J. (MD), daughter Sharon Fowler and husband Michael (NC) and grandchildren Ashley Davis (husband Brad) and great granddaughter Aubrey (NC), granddaughter Brittany O’Banion and great granddaughters Tara and Evelynne Marlowe (CO), and grandson Daylon King (NC).

A Celebration of Life will be held at 11am on October 10th at Beach Funeral Home, Indian Harbour Beach, FL. Burial will be in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA.

John had a special love for their poodles and participated with Lin in poodle rescue. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to Coastal Poodle Rescue, P. O. Box

121142, Melbourne, FL 32912 or via the Rescue website at www.coastalpoodlerescue.org.