Memorial service for Robert Ray "Bob" Hillis, MD will be at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday in Centenary United Methodist Church, 704 SW D Avenue, Lawton, Oklahoma 73507, with Dr. Robert Gorrell, Senior Pastor officiating.

A visitation with the family will be held at Becker-Rabon Funeral Home on Monday, October 11, 2021 from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.

Robert Ray "Bob" Hillis, MD, 87, passed away on October 1, 2021, surrounded by the love of his family.  Dr. Hillis was born in Lawton, OK on September 4, 1934, to Fay Hillis and Dorothy Wedge Hillis.  He lived in Frederick, OK as a young child and moved to Oklahoma City where he began elementary school in Putnam City.  The family then returned to Lawton where he completed elementary school, junior high, and graduated from Lawton High School in 1952.

At Lawton High he excelled academically and athletically, serving as Class President as a Sophomore and Junior, Student Body President as a Senior, Class Valedictorian, Captain of the Football Team as a Senior, and named to the Oklahoma All-State Football Team following his senior season.  He was honored by the National Elks Club as the Outstanding Male High School Student in the Nation and traveled to New York City to receive the award.

Bob then attended the University of Oklahoma on an athletic scholarship as a member of the football team under legendary Sooners coach Bud Wilkinson.  He excelled academically at OU graduating Summa Cum Laude in three years in 1956 with BS degrees in Chemistry/Zoology as a pre-med student and as a member of Phi Beta Kappa.  While at OU he was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity.

After his OU undergraduate experience, Bob moved on to his life dream of becoming a physician and entered the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, graduating in 1959.  While in the second year of medical school, he met the love of his life, Sally Thompson, who worked at the medical school, and they were married on April 6, 1957.

Tulsa became their home following medical school as Bob completed his internship and residency in OB/GYN at Hillcrest Medical Center.  While in Tulsa, Bob and Sally were blessed with the adoption of their three sons, John, and twins, Clay, and Tom.

After completion of his residency, Bob entered private practice in Lawton in 1963 at Great Plains Obstetrics and Gynecology with Dr. Bill Henley, who was a valued mentor and partner.  During his medical career, he served as Chief of Staff at Comanche County Memorial Hospital (CCMH), Department Chief of OB/GYN at CCMH, and the CCMH Executive Committee.  He was board certified in OB/GYN and a member of the American College of Surgeons and the American College of OB/GYN.  In 1995, Drs. Henley and Hillis were honored for their service and impact to the Lawton and Southwest Oklahoma medical community as CCMH named its obstetrics wing the Henley – Hillis Center for Women and Children.  He took an active role in statewide perinatal outreach in partnership with the OU College of Medicine Department of OB/GYN and with local indigent patient care with the establishment of an obstetrics clinic at the Comanche County Health Department.  He served on the Board of Directors of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma.  Dr. Hillis delivered over 13,000 babies in his career and practiced for over 50 years retiring from CCMH on December 31, 2013.

Bob was supported strongly through-out his career and in the raising of their three sons by his life partner and wife, Sally.  They enjoyed 64 years of marriage of together.

Giving back and paying it forward was important to Bob and he felt a deep sense of gratitude to the University of Oklahoma for the impact the university had on his life as both an undergraduate and medical school graduate.  In appreciation, he was a founding donor to the OU President's Associates and an Endowed Associate, along with supporting the Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club renovation campaign, Ellison Hall renovation campaign, Sally & Bob Hillis Family Endowed Scholarship Fund in Arts and Sciences, the Rufus Fears Endowed Scholarship Fund in Classics and Letters, the Robert Bird Society at the OU Health Sciences Center, and the Sooner Club for OU Athletics.  He served as board chair and director of the OU College of Arts and Sciences Board of Visitors.  He was honored by OU in 1999 with one its highest honors as a recipient of the Regents Alumni Award.

His faith was important to him, and Bob treasured his church family and Small Group at Centenary United Methodist Church in Lawton, where he and Sally taught K – 1 ^st Grade Sunday School, volunteered in the youth program, served on the Finance Committee, and founded a summer reading/tutoring program at Lincoln Elementary.

Bob's interests and hobbies included golf at Lawton Country Club with his family, attending OU football and basketball games for many years in cheering on his beloved Oklahoma Sooners, a history buff and voracious reader, especially of US President's and the Civil War, and carpentry in his home workshop.

Dr. Hillis is survived by his wife, Sally, of the home; his children, son John (Kristen) of Oklahoma City, OK, son Clay (Polly) of Lawton, OK, and son Tom (Pam) of Tulsa, OK; grandchildren, Erin Hillis Summersgill (Matt) of Tulsa, OK, Madi Hillis Gruenbacher (Tyler) of Oklahoma City, OK, Kathryn Hillis (Dom) of Houston, TX, Libby Hillis of Norman, OK, Tevis Hillis of Oklahoma City, OK, and Foster Hillis of Lawton, OK; great grandchild, Kate Elizabeth Summersgill; and siblings, sister, Sharon Strait of Lawton, OK; David Hillis of Phoenix, AZ; sister, Susan Mackey of Lawton, OK; brother-in-law Clay Thompson (Nancy) of Salina, KS; and brother-in-law Bill Thompson of Dallas, TX.  He is also survived by numerous nephews and nieces.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the OU Foundation for the Sally & Bob Hillis Family Endowed Scholarship Fund.  Checks can be made payable to the OU Foundation (note Hillis Scholarship on the memo section), and be mailed to 100 Timberdell Road, Norman, OK 73019.  Online gifts can be made to the OU Foundation through the following link: http://www.soonerconnect.com/hillis .  Memorial gifts can also be made to Centenary United Methodist Church, 704 SW D Avenue, Lawton, OK 73507.

An online guest book and sympathy cards are available at www.beckerfuneral.com