Sutton Goodrich Hilyard, Jr., (Sonny), age 74, passed away unexpectantly on Saturday, September 29, 2018. Sonny was born in Miami Beach in 1943. He was the son of Sutton Hilyard, Sr. and Minnie Ruth Hilyard both from Tullahoma, TN. Sonny was a great high school athlete, playing football, baseball and basketball at Saint Leo College Preparatory School. He then went on to attend Florida State University. After graduating from FSU, he attended Stetson Law School where he graduated 3rd in his class. Before beginning his law career, Sonny served in Vietnam in DeNang as a 1st Lieutenant and had a platoon in the 554th MP Battalion. Upon returning from Vietnam, he and his family settled in Orlando where Sonny began his career as an attorney with Pitts, Eubanks, Ross & Rumberger, PA retiring from the same firm 43 years later as a Senior Partner of Hilyard, Bogan & Palmer, PA. Sonny lived a big life and was a lover of sports. He cheered for the Miami Dolphins, FSU Seminoles, Orlando Magic and New York Yankees as their biggest fan. He was a Seminole Booster at FSU for 35 years and loved going to Tallahassee for the games. In his later years, Sonny enjoyed watching his grandchildren’s many sporting events. He loved inshore and sport fishing, going on many wonderful trips with his wife, Donna, fishing at exotic locations as well as his favorite local spots at Mosquito Lagoon in New Smyrna Beach and Captiva Island. Sonny also loved playing golf for many years with his friends at Heathrow Country Club. He was a loving husband, a caring father and grandfather and a loyal friend. He filled a room with his big personality and will be dearly missed. Sonny is proceeded in death by his parents, Sutton Hilyard, Sr. and Minnie Ruth Hilyard. He is survived by his loving wife of 31 years, Donna Hilyard, his daughters, Holly Scheuerle Berger (Ed) and Nicole Irby (Mark), their mother, Sherry Hilyard, and 4 grandchildren, Taylor Scheuerle, Sutton Scheuerle, Maclain Irby and Colin Irby. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in memory of Sonny to the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranch at www.youthranches.org or the Back to Nature Wildlife Refuge at 407-568-5138. Services will be held at the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection in Longwood on Thursday, 10/11/18 at 10:00 AM, with a celebration of his life to be held after the services at Heathrow Country Club.
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