Richard Steven Hillman's Obituary
On July 19th, 2014 Richard (Rich) Steven Hillman passed away quietly at an adult foster care home in Barryton, Michigan. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place 11:00 a.m., Saturday, September 20, 2014 at St. Paul Campus Parish in Big Rapids with Father Michael Burt officiating. Rich was born on August 19th, 1957 to Alida Marie (Cramer) Hillman and Gerald Wilson Hillman in Detroit, MI. It was obvious to the couple that Rich was visibly different than their other children from the outset. He had Down syndrome. The doctors advised the couple to keep the "Mongolian idiot" in an institution and not tell family or friends about him at all. The couple would not hear of it and took Rich back into the home where he had a sister JoAnn and brothers Larry and David waiting to meet their new brother. The couple would raise Rich as just another member of the family, expecting him to do chores, help with the family whenever possible, and do his best at every endeavor. He would be supported by his brothers and sister and was every bit a part of the family as any of them. Later his brother Paul was born in 1959. In 1963 there were no schools for mentally retarded children in most of Michigan. Richard's parents gathered with other parents in Mecosta and Osceola counties and rented an abandoned school house in Rodney, MI and hired a teacher. Rich started school there with other children who were bussed to and from their homes by his mother, the school's first bus driver, in the family station wagon, the school's first bus! Because of the "mainstreaming" that his parents believed so strongly in, Rich had many life experiences that his counterparts did not. However, occasionally his parents were accused of giving Rich too much freedom, sometimes more than he was capable of handling. On one such occasion, when Rich was 8 years old, he rode his bike downtown and decided that directing traffic on Big Rapids' main thoroughfare would be a good idea. The local police department thought otherwise. At another time when the family lived near the local library, Rich thought it would be exciting to pull the fire alarm located near the front door. Exciting it was as the BRFD circled its trucks looking for smoke, only to fine 10 year old Rich hiding in the bushes alongside the library. Rich became well known in the community, because of these and a dozen other events in the 60's, 70's, and 80's. Rich was well traveled with his parents, going to Canada often to visit relatives, Mexico on vacations, and dozens of states via long camping trips. He loved to swim. When he became a teenager, he would often ride his bike across town to go to the public pool. Rich worked most of his life at the MOARC sheltered workshop previously started by his parents as told above. After 1976 when the state of Michigan stopped institutionalizing cognitively disabled people, MOARC grew quickly. Richard's father Gerry Hillman, along with others, contacted local manufacturing companies to obtain easily completed pieces of work, such as clipping plastic burrs from stampings or simple wiring harnesses. As a leader in employing retarded citizens, many modeled their accomplishments and employed hundreds of disabled people in Michigan and beyond as a result of their innovation. Many people will remember Richie as the man riding his bicycle and playing his guitar or harmonica. No one will ever say he was very good, but memorable he was. He would serenade the streets often until dusk when he knew it was time to return home. However, in order to gain even more attention he occasionally staged a bicycle accident on someone's front lawn. Looking around not to be noticed, he would carefully lay down his bike on the grass, pulling it up on his legs and casting his arms around his head yelling, "Ambulance! Ambulance!" Unsuspecting and caring neighbors would initially oblige and more than once, the local ambulance arrived. Despite reprimands from the family, this one-act play was carried out randomly many more years in his local neighborhood. However, soon neighbors quickly acclimated to his bad acting and simply came out of their homes to encourage him to take his performance elsewhere or, at minimum, to play them a song on his guitar as he rode away. Richie loved to work at MOARC. He was always disappointed and saddened when he wasn't able to work. Other than his family, his entire life revolved around MOARC. The family is greatly appreciative of the people who worked with him there, looking out and caring for him, keeping him productive and useful to himself and others, as well as setting up social activities like dances and trips. At MOARC he was introduced to Special Olympics which became very important to him. He was very proud of his medals and accomplishments in bowling, swimming, and other sports he participated. Both at MOARC and at Special Olympics, he most appreciated being around the friends he made since childhood who worked and played alongside him. In the 80's and 90's, Richard was known around Big Rapids as Ferris Hockey's SuperFan. Each home game he would don his Ferris Bulldog Hockey jersey and Ferris cap and head over to the ice arena to passionately cheer on his favorite team. May of the students befriended him and supported him as he supported the hockey team. Taking Richard to a store in Big Rapids meant bumping into a half dozen people who greeted him as a friend although they were unknown to the rest of the family, mostly due to the notoriety of his SuperFan status. As Richard's mother approached 80 years old, she knew it was time for her to make arrangements for Rich to gain further independence and live away from her. Through the help of Hope Network and the memorial fund created when his brother David died in 1968, he was able to move into a home converted to adult foster care on 19 Mile Rd. in Big Rapids. There he lived with his buddy, Roger, for ten more years. He and Roger were well cared for. Getting ready or returning from MOARC, the staff was exceptional to work with. They cared deeply for him and he became as close as family to many of them. He loved living there so much that he would soon only tolerate short visits back to his mother's house, longing to go back to the comfort of his own place. Finally in 2012, Richard suffered a terrible accident at work and lost the sight in the one functional eye he had remaining. Additionally, as it is with 70% of adults with Down syndrome, the onset of dementia made his thinking unclear and sometimes erratic. His final years he stayed in an AFC run by McBride Quality Care Services where he was again very capably and caringly cared for by the staff in Barryton. While they never knew the active Richie, they knew of his beaming smile, his love of a good joke, and his giggle, which didn't leave him until the very end. Rich is survived by his brother Paul and his wife Carol Hillman of Rockford; his sisters, JoAnn Briglia of Greenville and Rose Marie Forbes of London, Ontario; brothers, Mark, Wayne, and Paul and sister Marcia Ostrander all of Texas; sister-in-law Sandy Hillman of Lancaster, PA; and beloved nieces and nephew, Jennifer (Tony) Ficociello and Bruce Forbes of London, Ontario, Meghan Cooper of Gowen, Anne Hillman of Boston, MA, Renee and Eve Hillman of Rockford, Cindy (Neil) Keely of Harrisburg, PA, Robert (Lyuda) Hillman of San Diego, and many great nieces and great nephews. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 11:00 am, Saturday, September 20, 2014 at St. Paul Campus Parish in Big Rapids.
What’s your fondest memory of Richard?
What’s a lesson you learned from Richard?
Share a story where Richard's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Richard you’ll never forget.
How did Richard make you smile?