Donald Spencer Hilleary
September 16, 1952 ~ October 10, 2020
Donald Spencer Hilleary
68, retired hospitality director, passed away Saturday, October 10, 2020. Private services to be held. Preceded in death by parents, James and Mae Adele Hilleary. Survivors: wife, Kelly; sons, John (Misty) Hilleary, Shawn (Elisha) Hilleary; stepsons, Jeremy Swisher, Bryson Vornauf; 5 grandsons; 1 great-granddaughter; brothers, Richard (Margi), Thomas (Sherry), James (Anna), Michael (Kathy) and Stephen (Takara) Hilleary; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Downing & Lahey Mortuary West.
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I am truly sorry for your loss. Don was such a sweet man. He had an infectious laugh and was an excellent cook. It’s never easy losing anyone we love . I am grateful I got to know him if but for a short period of time. Thoughts and prayers for the family. I look forward to seeing him again one day in perfect health and to be able to get to know him better. Paradise is just around the corner.
In the early 1990s I belonged to a downtown Episcopal church in Wichita Kansas. In the winter we would take turns with other churches to make meals for homeless people. Church members would volunteer to prepare meals. As a volunteer, I happen to be in charge of one of those meals. Along with a stew, we were going to make salad, so I called Don and I said, “hey Don, how many heads of lettuce do I need to feed 70 people”? He takes about two seconds and he says, “you need 12 heads of lettuce, but to make it pretty, shred two bunches spinach, one red cabbage and a hand full of carrots”. Don really knew the restaurant business inside and out!
Don and I shared a love of cooking. If I ever had a question about a recipe’s instruction he would be my resource. He once gave me a CD full of recipes which I still use. Don will be missed by many for his positive outlook on life and his Hillearius dry sense of humor. Kim Plumer (sister in law)
I was privileged to know my brother-in-law since high school so I have an abundance of fun, crazy, and charming stories and memories. I’ll share one here and hold the others close. It was somewhat recent history – 2011. My husband was in China for two weeks visiting our son who was working for the U.S. Department of State. I received a phone call in the wee hours of the night from authorities stating that our adult daughter had been in a motorcycle accident and was being life-flighted to KU Medical Center. To make a long story short, in my husband’s absence, my five Hilleary brothers rallied around offering love, care and support- and traveling to KC from other states and areas. Don offered his care in his most excellent and unique way – by organizing a family lunch at a spot near the hospital and arranging for me to take a break from the ICU. Everything worked out fine – but the selfless, rapid outpouring of love from these wonderful brothers demonstrated what a close family is all about.
Years ago, Sherry and I found ourselves frequenting a restaurant that Don managed largely because of the teriyaki sauce that was served with one of the steak dishes. One time I asked Don to just give us the recipe for the sauce so that we could make it at home. He obliged, and scribbled the recipe down on a scrap of paper; however, it was for seventeen-gallon batches. We managed to scale the proportions down, and we always have some on hand. So that Don’s memory lives on in your hearts and on your palates, here is the recipe:
* Don’s Teriyaki Sauce *
1 1/3 cup tomato puree
5 oz pineapple juice
7 oz cider vinegar
5 1/3 oz soy sauce
2/3 tsp ground ginger
3 1/3 oz molasses
5 1/3 oz brown sugar
1/3 tsp garlic powder
Boil all ingredients together, then simmer for 20 minutes to slightly reduce. Fantastic with chicken or steak.
So sorry for your loss Kelly. Hold on to the good memories – and the hope for the future.