Obituary of John Stockwell Hiller

John Stockwell Hiller, age 93, of Middletown, passed away on Monday morning, March 9, 2015, at Woodlake at Tolland Health Center in Tolland, Connecticut. John was married for more than 65 years to his beloved wife, Dorothy Strong Hiller. Dorothy predeceased John in 2012. John was born on May 30, 1921, in Providence, Rhode Island and was raised in West Barrington. He was a graduate of the West Barrington High School, Providence Country Day School and the four-year Apprenticeship Program at Browne and Sharpe in Providence. He served in the European Theater in World War II and received an honorable discharge from the Army in 1946. He and Dorothy met at a church social at the First Baptist Church in Providence and were later married in Southington, Connecticut in 1947. John was a resident of the Village at South Farms in Middletown for the past four years. He retired to Westbrook, Connecticut and lived there for 30 years. Prior to that, he lived in Glastonbury, Connecticut (1955 to 1982) while employed by Pratt & Whitney as a production analyst. John was well known for his deep bass voice in choirs, his bass fiddle playing in swing groups and small dance combos, and his skilled hand with woodworking and other tools, drafting, and building projects. He taught sailing during his early retirement years, and very much enjoyed being at the helm of his Final Folly. During his time in Westbrook, John served as Chair of the Building Committee and as a deacon of the First Congregational Church in Westbrook. He was a past member of the Westbrook Library Board of Directors and proud supporter of the Military Museum in Westbrook. John and Dorothy toured extensively throughout the United States in their motor home during the earlier years of their retirement, including their children and grandchildren in various legs of their big adventure. John leaves behind him his three children and their families: Margaret H. Stevens and her husband, Jonathan, of Springfield, Virginia, John F. Hiller of Coventry and his life partner, Barbara Locke, and his daughters and grandchildren: Sara Fry, her husband Seth, and their children Kevin, Leah, and Shelby, of Fairfield, and Kristina Dowling and her husband, Matt, of Glastonbury; and Janet M. Soule, and her husband, Herbert, of Chesnee, South Carolina and their sons Matt Soule and his wife, Kellie Lim, of Los Angeles, CA, and Justin Soule and his fiancé, Courtney Connors, of Plantsville. In addition John leaves his sister-in-law, Betty Strong of Concord, New Hampshire, his niece Julia Smith of Wallingford, his nephew James Strong of Nottingham, NH, and his cousin, Greg Mathus of Salisbury. A military honor guard will attend interment at the Cypress Cemetery in Westbrook at 10 am on Saturday, April 11, followed by an 11 am Celebration of Life service at The First Congregational Church of Westbrook, 1166 Boston Post Road in Westbrook. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in John's name to The Memorial Fund, c/o The First Congregational Church of Westbrook, P.O. Box 674, Westbrook, CT 06498. To share a memory of John or to leave condolences for his family, please visit www.rwwfh.com. Arrangements by the Robinson, Wright & Weymer Funeral Home in Centerbrook.