George W. Hillegass

George William Hillegass, beloved husband, father and granddad passed away peacefully at the age of 71 after a year and half battle with pancreatic cancer. George, who is the 2nd of 9 children, received his strong faith and love of the lord from his sweet mother Mary. When his dad passed away when he was just 14 years old, George went to work at the local A&P grocery store in the afternoons after school and had a paper route in the morning to help provide for his family. He also became one of the youngest people ever to receive their life masters in bridge at the age of 17. He grew up in Jacksonville Beach, Florida and after high school spent a brief few weeks in the seminary. When he realized priesthood was not his calling, although everyone still calls him Father George, he went on to graduate college from Florida State University. He went to work for Ernst & Ernst in Atlanta where he met his bride of 46 years, Dorothy Ayars Hillegass. Their love for each other is the stuff of legends. He spent 4 years in the Navy. He was very proud of his service in our country’s military and was always so grateful to those who make that sacrifice to protect our country. He continued his accounting career with Arthur Young in Atlanta and spent a year in their international office in New York. In 1980, he and two of his good friends made the decision to start their own accounting firm, Gifford, Hillegass & Ingwersen. Those he worked with he considered not just co-workers, but family. His clients were not just business associates but friends. He worked hard and played hard. His goal was to visit every country in the world. He and his wife Dot were fortunate enough to travel to 140 countries, including climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. He has 3 children, and 10 grandchildren who he loved very much as can be told by his license plate, GrndadH. Over his life, he volunteered at many different organizations. Some of his favorite were coaching his son Tim in baseball and basketball and being treasurer of St. Vincent de Paul for7 years. His love for life, learning and the Lord was vivacious and contagious. He was a very faithful servant and constantly helped others in a quiet, humbling way. He made a friend of everyone he met. He was the greatest husband, dad and granddad!! He is survived by his wife Dorothy Ayars Hillegass, his children Kimberley, Hillegass McGeorge, Tracey Hillegass Daley and Timothy Kifer Hillegass, his grandchildren Cameron McGeorge, Colin McGeorge, Madison McGeorge, Caroline Daley, Colby Daley, Carter Daley, Tim Hillegass, Will Hillegass, Charlie Hillegass and Bailey Hillegass, his brothers Jim Hillegass, Bill Hillegass, Mike Hillegass, Dan Hillegass and Pat Hillegass and his sisters Susan Chepenik, Pauline Bridges and Carolyn Moore and many nieces and nephews!!! The family will celebrate his life receiving family and friends on Tuesday, July 7, 2015 from 5 to 8 pm with a Rosary at 7:30 pm. This will be held at H.M. Patterson and Son, Arlington Chapel, 173 Allen Road, Sandy Springs, Georgia 30328. The funeral mass will be held on Wednesday, July 8, 2015 at 11 am at St. Jude the Apostle Catholic Church, 7171 Glenridge Drive, NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30328. Interment will follow at Arlington Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations to be made to Millers Children’s Hospital, Memorial Medical Center Foundation, P.O. Box 1428, Long Beach, California 90806 or the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, 1500 Rosecrans Avenue, Suite 200, Manhattan Beach, California 90266.