Yvonne Hargis Hillings

Yvonne Hargis Fox was born on November 25, 1936, in Fort Lauderdale, FL, to Floy Hargis Fox and Edgar Fox. Her mother, brother Bruce, and she moved back to her mother’s native Tennessee, where she lived on the farm of her grandparents while her mother completed college. Her grandfather Frank Cooper Hargis was a country doctor and played a particularly important role in her young life, instilling in her a love of nature and a belief in never giving up.

Yvonne spent her youth in Nashville. She was always active and engaged with nature, loving animals and especially horses. Summer camp and her high school sorority, PLS, were of great importance for her.

After graduating from West End High School, she left for Cleveland, Ohio, where she got her start in hospitality at the Hollenden Hotel. At age 19, she became a stewardess for National Airlines based in Miami. She flew for 7 years then became a lead trainer for another 5, having an impact on the lives of many young women. During that time, she also served on the executive team of the airline and participated in their PR campaigns. This is where she met her husband, Edward Joseph “Joe” Hillings, who was a lobbyist for the airline. They married on January 4, 1969, and moved to Washington, DC.

After the birth of their daughter and only child, Valerie Lynn Hillings, she dedicated herself to raising Valerie and managing the home life of the family in Alexandria, Virginia. She pursued her love of art by taking painting classes at the Torpedo Factory and making abstract pictures inspired by the style of the Abstract Expressionists and Hard-Edge painters. The family, including her stepdaughters Ann-Marie Hillings and Teresa Clare Hillings McCloy, traveled together, with Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and Europe among her favorite destinations. She continued to travel the world through the years as she followed her daughter’s career, enjoying frequent trips to New York and travels to Australia and Spain to see exhibitions curated by Valerie. She always loved the water, and her home in Broadkill Beach, Delaware brought her years of joy.

Yvonne was full of personality, known for her quick wit and interest in people. Most of all, she was known for fiercely loving her daughter and being her cheerleader as she decided to pursue a career in the arts. In 2019, she and her husband moved to Raleigh, North Carolina, to join Valerie and her husband B.J. Scheessele, who moved there when Valerie was appointed director of the North Carolina Museum of Art in 2018.

Yvonne is survived by her husband, Edward Joseph Hillings; daughter Valerie Hillings, son-in-law B.J. Scheessele, all of Raleigh; stepdaughter Ann-Marie Hillings of Taos, New Mexico; and stepdaughter Teresa Clare Hillings McCloy of Columbia, Tennessee.

A funeral service for Yvonne will be held Friday, November 5, 2021 at 1:00 PM at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 300 Saint Mary's Street, Raleigh, NC 27605.

Remembrances in her honor may be sent to the North Carolina Museum of Art, 2110 Blue Ridge Rd, Raleigh, NC 27607.

Services provided by Brown-Wynne, 300 St. Mary's Street, Raleigh.