Robert Lilly

Burlington, NC Robert "Bob" Jefferson Lilly, age 88, died on Sunday, September 20, 2009. He was born in Moore County at Robbins, NC on July 30, 1921 to the late Pearl Auman and John D. Lilly, Sr. of Seagrove, NC. He was preceded in death by three sisters and five brothers. He was the husband of Martha Elizabeth Myers Lilly for 61 years who survives. He is also survived by four daughters, Mrs. Jeanne Phillip Griswold of Kingsport, TN, Mrs. Susan Mike Sowers of Dacula , GA, Mrs. Teresa Holton Barnwell of Houston, TX and Mrs. Maria Chuck Baker of McKinney, TX; eight grandchildren, Dr. Mollie G. James Lotakis of Charlotte, John P. Griswold of Charleston, SC, Phillip A. Griswold of Nashville, TN, Julie S. Sowers of Auburn, AL, Mrs. Emily S. Ernie Dye of Fairhope, AL, and Alex, Meredith and Joseph Baker; four great grandsons, Caleb Sowers, Quinten Dye, Hunter Lotakis and Hudson Dye; great granddaughter, Lillian Ruth Dye; along with several nieces and nephews. He attended High Point University prior to WWII. He was called to serve his country by the Army Air Force in 1943 where he trained to become a B-24 Pilot. In 1944 through July 1945, First Lt. Lilly was a B-17 Bomber Pilot in the ETO with 35 combat missions with the 486th Bomb Group stationed at Sudbury, England with the 8th Air Force. He received five Air Medals and a Presidential Citation. He served in the Air Force Reserves with the rank of Captain. In 1947 he received his B.S. Degree in Accounting from UNC Chapel Hill and worked for Western Electric, AT&T and retired after 37 years in the accounting field. He was a life member of the UNC Alumni Association, the 486th Bomb Group Association and the Mighty 8th Air Force Museum at Savannah, GA and was also a member of The Telephone Pioneers of America. He trained as a pilot with his crew prior to combat duty at Savannah, GA. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Burlington and served various Presbyterian churches as deacon and elder. He was also a charter member of Clemmon Presbyterian Church. Mr. Lilly enjoyed golf, baseball, exercise and traveling to Air Force Reunions all over the U.S. He enjoyed his family and will be greatly missed. He donated his body to UNC School of Medicine. A graveside memorial service with burial of cremains will be held at a later date at Forsyth Memorial Park in Winston-Salem. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Mighty 8th Air Force Museum, P.O. Box 1992, Savannah, GA, 31402 or to Hospice and Palliative Care of Alamance-Caswell, 914 Chapel Hill Rd., Burlington, NC 27215. Lowe Funeral Home and Crematory is serving the Lilly family. You may sign the online register book at www.lowefuneralhome.com.