Hilla Jean Gilliam

Ada Hilla “Jean” Jones Gilliam, 81, of Bossier City, Louisiana, lost her brave battle with cancer on October 7,  2023.

She was born in Mingus, TX on October 29, 1941, to E.C. and Cora Lee Collum Jones. She married David Lawrence Gilliam, a handsome young Air Force recruit, on June 17, 1960. Their first son, David Mark, was born while David was stationed in Brindisi, Italy. As a new mother at 19 years old and never having flown on a plane, Jean traveled solo to Italy with her newborn to introduce him to his father. This trip began one of many in their Air Force career, as Jean raised her two sons, David Mark and Daryl Wayne in exotic places like Germany, Japan, Turkey, and numerous places in the United States. The family settled in Bossier City in 1977 at David’s Air Force retirement.

Jean was very talented in so many endeavors. While an Air Force mom, she took numerous classes and eventually taught cake decorating, and she created some of the most beautiful cakes. She always loved family history, and she spent hours on genealogy documenting family trees and histories and labeling photographs. She carried these to many family reunions, and everyone loved and appreciated the hard work she did to preserve this history. She enjoyed writing about genealogy, and she wrote numerous beautiful stories and poems, as well. She received her cosmetology license and worked at Mister John Beauty and Skin Clinic in Shreveport for several years. She loved crafts and was always making something for family and friends or the church bazaar.  She was also an avid collector, and anyone who has visited her home realizes her love for her treasures. 

She is survived by her brother, Leon Jones and wife, Dawn; sons, David Mark Gilliam and wife, Debbie and Daryl Wayne Gilliam; two grandsons, Bradley Gilliam and Brett Gilliam and wife, Madison; great-grandchildren, Brooklyn Gilliam, Sawyer Gilliam, and Jameson Gilliam; brother-in-law Tom Gilliam and wife, Helen; sisters-in-laws, Katrina Bartlett and June Gilliam, and many special nieces and nephews.

Jean excelled at keeping in touch with her friends and family over the years, and her cards and letters and beautiful smile will surely be missed. The family would like to thank all of her church family and her friends and neighbors for all of their help and love. Jean did not like to drive, so many of her friends were so kind as to drive her to church, restaurants, and many of her appointments.

The family will receive friends at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 1944 Airline Drive, Bossier City at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 12 with the service to follow at 2:00 p.m. A graveside service will be at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, October 13, 2023,  at Northwest Louisiana Veterans Cemetery, 7970 Mike Clarke Drive, Keithville Louisiana, where she will be buried with her husband.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorials may be made to Providence House, 825 Cotton Street Shreveport, Louisiana 71101, or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, Tennessee 38105.