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James "Jim" Lillie '72 July 5, 2017 11:22 AM updated: July 5, 2017 11:25 AM

(Published in) Waco Tribune-Herald (on) July 5, 2017

Lillie, James E.

James E. Lillie

Dec. 17, 1947 - May 11, 2017

James "Jim" Lillie, 69, of Austin and formerly of Waco, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Thursday, May 11, 2017. Memorial services will be held in Waco on Saturday, July 8, at St. Paul Lutheran Church, and in the Austin area on Saturday, July 22, at Point of Grace Lutheran Church in Pflugerville. Both services will be at 11 a.m., followed by a time of fellowship and a light lunch. Burial will be held at Waco Memorial at a later time. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to your local church, food pantry or other worthy cause in Jim's honor.

Jim was born December 17, 1947, in Madison, New Jersey. He was the oldest of three children born to Frank and Lois (Bohler) Lillie. After graduating high school in 1965, Jim moved to the Waco area to live with his aunt and uncle, Lorraine (Bohler) and Robert Brooks, while attending college. On December 22, 1967, he married Mary Ellen Neckar, with whom he had three daughters: Cynthia (Cyndie), Anneliese (Lisa) and Andrea.

While working in the meat departments of Wiengartens in Bryan/College Station and H-E-B in Waco, Jim earned his bachelor's in Animal Science from Texas A&M University in 1975. He spent his professional career working as an educator in the Meat Processing and Marketing department at TSTI/TSTC in Waco, Texas. Before retiring, he also earned a master's in Higher Education from Texas A&M-Commerce in 1997.In addition to being an active parent with Mary in Connally ISD activities, Jim was a long-time member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Waco, where he served in many capacities, including elder and church president.

After losing Mary to leukemia in 1991, he found love again with Janet (Schernik) Eiben, whom he met in THEOS, a widow/widower support group. When they married on May 25, 1996, he gained her two daughters: Kilynne and Daynette.

During retirement, Jim and Janet spent much of their time helping at their church, spoiling their grandchildren and visiting family in Creede, Colorado and Denmark. After moving to Austin for medical reasons, they stayed active with their new church, Point of Grace, spent many hours watching grandchildren play sports and visiting family in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Jim was best known for his love of cooking and using it to serve others. With a smile, he cooked many a meal for family, friends, the Connally ISD community, his church and countless others. The recipes and knowledge he shared and the skills he taught are valued by many. Hospitality and hugs were his gifts.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, his parents, his aunt and uncle, and his sister, Cheryl Lillie.

He is survived by his wife, Janet; brother, Frank Lillie of Newton, New Jersey; sister-in-law, Linda Neckar Andrews of Waco; brother-in-law, Kermit Schernik of Taylor; daughters, Cyndie Nielsen and husband, Per, of Aarhus, Denmark, Anneliese Gifford and husband, Bob, of Austin, and Andrea Lillie of Denton; stepdaughters, Kilynne Dilts and husband, Andy, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Daynette Mingst and husband, Mike, of Belton; grandchildren who called him Pops, Annalise, Madison and Payton Nielsen, Mary Ellen Gifford, Addison, Benjamin, Campbell, Sonya and Mica Dilts, and Gage and Lakyn Mingst.


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