Lillian McCallister Hines passed away in Salem, Virginia on August 30, 2012. She was born on May 22, 1915, in Rockport, Illinois to Ruby (Mooney) and Lewis McCallister. Her father died when she was five. Her mother later married Carl Day.
Lillian grew up in Hannibal, Missouri and eventually moved across the Mississippi River to Barry, Illinois where she graduated from Barry High School. She attended the University of Illinois and earned Bachelor and Master of Science Degrees in Mathematics. Lillian was the first woman in her large extended family to attend college. Her uncles often criticized her for studying beyond high school during the Great Depression, while at the same time receiving frequent gifts of a few dollars from her aunts accompanied by letters of encouragement. Upon graduation she taught math at Fairbury High School until her marriage to Vynce A. Hines in 1940. Lillian and Vynce had three children: Diane, Michael, and Robert (Bobby). Michael died in infancy in 1944 and Diane recently passed away in 2011.
The Hines Family moved to Gainesville, Florida in 1947 where Vynce served as a professor at the University of Florida for 42 years. During this time Lillian worked for ten years as the regional accountant for the Gainesville Public Library in addition to attending the University of Florida as a special student in architecture (education she used to help design her and Vynce’s Gainesville home). She was also a member of the Gainesville Women’s Club, the University of Florida Women’s Club, and the League of Women Voters. Furthermore, Lillian acted for a number of years as the unofficial bookkeeper for the Coquina Condominiums in Crescent Beach, Florida where she and Vynce purchased an apartment in 1971.
In 1993, Lillian and Vynce moved to Salem, Virginia to be close to her son Robert and his family. In 2005, Lillian relocated to Urbana, Illinois where Diane lived. She spent many years in the Canterbury Ridge Assisted Living Facility, sharing her apartment with her cat, Lucky, enjoying time with her daughter, and looking forward to frequent visits from Robert’s family. Lillian returned to Salem, Virginia in January 2012 and spent her final months with family while receiving excellent care at Snyder Nursing Home.
Lillian enjoyed reading and following politics. She prided herself on being an excellent seamstress. She closely followed the University of Florida Gators and the University of Illinois Fighting Illini sports teams.
Lillian is survived by her sister Ollive Williams; her son Robert and his wife Michi; her grandchildren Ryan, Grant and his wife Mari; nieces Sandra and Sue, nephew Mac; and numerous grand nieces and nephews.
Graveside services and burial will take place at 10:00 am on Tuesday, September 4 in Gainesville, Florida at the Forest Meadows Memorial Park Central, 4100 Northwest 39th Avenue. In lieu of flowers, please give donations in her name to the Snyder Nursing Home Memorial Garden, 11 North Broad Street, Salem, VA 24153.
We were so glad we could attend Lillian’s service here in Gainesville. We remember her and Mary Lewis advising and helping us as new faculty in 1968.
Lillian was a wonderful lady.