Edward Keith Hileman

It's not every day that you read an obituary about someone from a small, historically famous town of beautiful, rolling hills and lakes, and a Christmas Eve Gift that arrived with a large, round head, grand, sparkling-blue eyes and a slight grimace on his lips: that was Edward Keith Hileman, born on the eve of December 24, 1960, and who died at age 62 quietly at home in Crawfordville Florida on January 24, 2o23 after battling the constant surprises of the debilitating effects of diabetes. Born to Paul Harris Hileman and Odessell Maude (Trent) Hileman, who resided in tiny Bean Station, Tennessee, the Gift grew into a prescient child, who had an unquenchable thirst for learning, and who took to devouring reading material early on -- like a buzzsaw does to wood. He ingested the short and long words; the good and bad phrases, including those, which could shock linguists and experts in medicine, science, and the arts: that's where his big head held all of his wonders and his dreams, and the hair-raising and awe-inspiring language, which his close friends and acquaintances cherished. The grimace...well, it was used more often than he wanted because not everyone's motor would ever run faster than the one in his mind. Although he was grounded and pragmatic, he was also a quiet, kind and loyal with a gentle heart. Only the right person--the one who could meld magic with synesthesia, cynicism and hope-- could make him burst out in robust, contagious and cacophonous hee-haw laughter with a giggle or a guffaw, and perhaps a cackle or more. As the oldest child residing at home in Bean Station, Tennessee, he was preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Odessel, and survived by three younger sisters: Kathy Ann Hileman Majors (New Taswell TN), Lisa Kay Hileman McBride (Hamblen county TN), Tammy Sue Hileman Trent (Bean Station TN), and his paternal aunt, Velma Ruth Hileman (San Francisco, CA). Throughout grade school he achieved excellent marks, and his teachers could quickly note that they were before a highly gifted child. He attended Morristown High School, where he received high honors. He studied at and graduated from the University of Tennessee, and later completed a post-graduate law program degree at The University of Memphis, where he received the degree of Juris Doctor. While he did not practice law, his innate capacity for detail and acute analysis, combined with his propensity to manage high level communication, orally or written, and his knowledge and ease with the electronic medium, Keith was sought by and worked for the internationally recognized Westlaw-Thompson Reuters (an industry leader for legal research platforms), where he was technical trainer and leader of a team of experts and research trainers throughout Canada and the United States. We will sadly miss Keith, whose major grimace would appear only when his grasp was not near of something to read. In the words posted on his computer..."A room without books is like a body without a soul." (Marcus Tullius Cicero). Skip and Trey Young along with Paula and Kimberly are assisting the family.

Edward Keith Hileman

December 24, 1960 - January 24, 2023