Margie Ree Hilliard

Margie Ree Hilliard was born on August 1, 1949, to Katherleen (Jones) Griffin and Dewitt Griffin, Sr. in the great state of Mississippi. Margie accepted Christ at an early age and was baptized at Little Morning Star M.B. Church in Kinlock, MS. Margie, also known to her family and friends as Sis, attended Gentry High School in Indianola, Mississippi where she played basketball. She relocated to Waukegan, IL in 1973 where she later met and married her beloved, Lenzy Hilliard in 1988.

Throughout her life, Margie enjoyed being an amateur photographer. Every Sunday, Margie (Sis, Aunt Sis, Granny, Great Granny, or however you referred to her) would get you dressed in your Sunday’s best, stand you in front of her props, and snap away. Some photos might have a few hairlines cropped or even half a person missing, but that never discouraged Margie from her passion. She would just try it again the next Sunday. When the world transitioned to using cell phones as their cameras, Margie transitioned to disposable cameras. We had our cell phones, and Margie had her camera. At family events, she would pull out one after another. We could only pray that we were captured in a good light.

When Facebook arrived in the world, Margie decided that she wanted to share her repository (or perhaps it is best described as an archive of photos) with the world. Her children gathered to discuss a strategy to get her to stop! She was posting everything; nothing was sacred! It was decided that the oldest, Stanley, had the responsibility to stop her. Stan always had the special touch, so it felt like the winning strategy. Stan called to say that after so many pictures, Facebook was going to charge ten cents for every picture uploaded. This worked! She stopped! Well, until Kathy asked Margie why she had stopped uploading the pictures. Margie explained that she was going to get this huge bill from Facebook for all the pictures that she uploaded and that she could not afford to upload any more photos. Kathy informed Margie that she had been bamboozled by her kids.

Margie quickly summoned Stan to give him a tongue lashing for his stunt, but Stan stood his ground (as he was representing his four siblings and the grandchildren at the time). He explained that everyone  had enough of the embarrassing photos being displayed with homemade and rigged superhero outfits, jheri curl bags, and the likes. Stan tried his best to explain that some of the photos just did not capture the family very well. She looked at Stan and said, “I didn’t make no ugly babies! These pictures are fine!”  

Please do not get this confused. The photos of Margie were runway ready. She was a very snappy dresser and had every color in the rainbow. She had a hat, purse, and pair of shoes for every outfit. Even polka dots. She was the unofficial creator of Sunday’s Best!

On Tuesday, May 23, 2023, Margie experienced heart failure, and passed away peacefully  in Waukegan, Illinois, at the age of 73.

For those who did not get the chance to meet Margie, but are here to support a loved one, please know that Margie was a person who loved shopping, taking pictures, and cracking jokes. (She definitely missed her calling as a comedian!)  The entire family thanks you for your support, attendance, and sharing in this celebration. God bless you, and may He keep you until we see each other again.

Margie was preceded in death by her parents: Katherleen (2006) and Dewitt (2007); her grandparents:  Henry and Maggie Jones; brothers: Frankie Jones (2018) and Monroe Jones (2021); niece:  Monica Green (2023).

Margie was survived by her husband, Lenzy Hilliard, Jr.; children:  Stanley (Michelle) Griffin, Sylvia Cornelius, Howard (Melissa) Nolden, Darren (Maria) Nolden, Daphne (Anthony) Lasley; bonus children:  Alvina (Filiberto) Martinez and Lenzy Hilliard, III; siblings:  Beulah Green, Dewitt (Angela) Griffin, Jr., Henry Griffin, Diana Lacy, Kathy (Gregory) Osborne, Leon (Bettie) Griffin, Janice (Eric) Harvell, and Stephanie (Thadeous Wash) Griffin; sister-in-law Janice Hillard-Walker; grandchildren:  Charles Watkins, Anita Watkins, Schylen Griffin, Kalia Griffin, Anastasia Nolden, Jaden Nolden, Jaylin Nolden, and Darren A. Nolden; bonus grandchildren:  Steven Watkins, Aaron Johnson and Mya Johnson; Great-grandchildren:  Gregory Watkins and Ayria Watkins. Bonus great-grandchild:  Aaron Johnson, Jr.

Mrs. Hilliard's visitation will be Friday June 2, 2023 from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. at Mt. Moriah Christian Center 524 10th Street in Waukegan, Illinois 60085, phone 1-847-662-5683, https://mountmoriahchristiancenter.org/

Her funeral service will begin at 11:00 a.m. on the same day, also at Mt. Moriah Christian Center.

Mrs. Hilliard will be entombed in the Garden Mausoleum located at Warren Cemetery, 1495 N. Cemetery Road, Gurnee, Illinois 60031 immediately following the service at church.

The family has entrusted the arrangements to Warren Funeral Home 1475 N. Cemetery Rd. (located on the northside of the intersection of Tri-State Parkway and Cemetery Rd.) in Gurnee, Illinois 60031. For further information please call 1-847-855-2760.

Important: Due to phone service issues please call 1-847-915-6867 Temporarily.

If flowers are being ordered, please have them delivered directly to Mt. Moriah Christian Center.