Dr. Glyn Roy Hilbun

Dr. Glyn Roy Hilbun passed away peacefully on February 3rd at St. Dominic’s Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi after a brief illness. Dr. Hilbun was born in Lucedale, MS, on May 16, 1938, to B.J. Hilbun and Evelyn Marie Griffin Hilbun. He graduated from Lucedale High School in 1955 and attended Mississippi State University before transferring to the University of Mississippi Medical School in Jackson. He graduated from medical school in 1962 and did a fellowship at the University of Texas Medical Branch (John Sealy) in Galveston, Texas. He returned to the University of Mississippi Medical School and completed surgical residency in 1967. While obtaining this residency, Dr. Hilbun was chosen by Dr. James D. Hardy, who was head of the Department of Surgery and his mentor, to be part of the organ transplant team. On January 23, 1964, Dr. Hilbun was part of the team that transplanted the first heart to a human.

In August 1966, he married the love of his life and best friend, Elizabeth Anne Judge of Oxford, Mississippi. They moved to Moss Point in 1967 where he began his long and distinguished medical career as a General Surgeon. He was in private practice and served as a staff member of Singing River Hospital in Pascagoula, Mississippi for 38 years. During this time, he was Chief of Staff of Singing River, Chief of Surgery, a member of the Executive Committee of the hospital, and Medical Director of the Surgical Intensive Care Unit. He was also a member and past President of the Singing River Medical Society, a member of the Mississippi State Medical Association, as well as the Southern Medical Association. He was a fellow in the James D. Hardy Society.

Dr. Hilbun served his country as a Colonel in the United States Army Reserve and reported for active duty during Operation Desert Storm where he was a commander of a Medical Detachment located in Saudi Arabia and Iraq. He was a member of the 114th Evac Hospital in San Antonio, Texas, which was the medical unit that provided support for rapid deployment. He was a member of Dantzler Memorial United Methodist Church in Moss Point and First Baptist Church of Madison. He was a longtime member of the Young Men’s Business Club of Moss Point and cherished the friendships he made. He was honored to be the King of their Carnival Ball in 1978.

Called Glyn Roy, G.R. or Doc by all that knew him, he had a wonderful life living in Moss Point on North Drive. He enjoyed fishing from the banks of his backyard with his son Glyn, trips to Horn Island in his boat and fishing the canals off the Pascagoula River any chance he had. He also loved golfing with friends on his days off. After Hurricane Katrina flooded their home in 2005, he and Elizabeth decided to move north to Madison where they have spent the last 18 years.

Dr. Hilbun was preceded in death by his parents, B.J. and Marie Hilbun of Lucedale, his brother Dr. Benton Hilbun of Tupelo and his nephew Kevin Hilbun. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Elizabeth Judge Hilbun of Madison, his daughter Hayley Hilbun Lundy (John) of Ridgeland, and his son Glyn Roy Hilbun, Jr. (Lisa) of Moss Point. He leaves four precious grandchildren who loved their Papaw very much. Laura Elizabeth (Eliza) Lundy of Washington, D.C., Anne Marie Lundy and Mary Gibson Lundy of Ridgeland, and Jantzen Brady Hilbun of Moss Point. He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Brenda Parker Hilbun, his nephew Benton Hilbun (Jenni) and his niece, Parker Hilbun Spees (Shane) all from Tupelo and a nephew, Jason Roy (Carla) of Ocean Springs, and seven great nieces and nephews.

A visitation will be held at Parkway Memorial Funeral Home, Ridgeland, MS, on Friday, February 9, 2024, at 3:00 pm with a Celebration of Life immediately following at 4:00pm. A private burial will take place in Oxford the following day. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to UMMC Office of Development /memo Transplant Guild/ 2500 North State Street, Jackson, MS 39216 or https://www.umc.edu/Development/Give-Now.html (Select Other in Category/ specify Transplant Guild in space),or MS Organ Recovery Agency at 4400 Lakeland Drive, Flowood, MS 39232, or MSORA.org