The last member of the Masonic Fraternity listed as a casualty of the Second World War was Brother Llewellyn Clayton Hillis.
Llewellyn was born on August 21st 1887 at Oil Springs Ontario, son of James and Katharine Hillis. In 1908 Llewellyn completed his education and accepted a position as a school teacher at New Canaan in Essex County. During this time he also accepted the position as township clerk. With the outbreak of the Great War in Europe Llewellyn resigned his position as a teacher and entered medical school at the University of Western Ontario. After graduation he returned to Kingsville and opened his practice.
In community circles Llewellyn served as a town councilor in Kingsville for the years 1929-30-31. In 1933 he was elected mayor of Kingsville and served for three years. He was a founding member and secretary of the Essex County Fisherman Association. He also played and managed the Kingsville baseball team in the Essex County Baseball League.
Brother Hillis was initiated into Freemasonry as a member of St. George's Lodge No. 41 in Kingsville. In Scottish Rite Masonry he received his 4th degree in the Valley of Windsor, Lodge of Perfection on June 19th 1924 and progressed through the Rose Croix in Windsor, ultimately becoming a 32nd degree Mason in the Moore Consistory. Brother Hillis was also a member of Erie Chapter No. 19, Order of the Eastern Star and Concord Lodge No. 142 Imperial Order of Oddfellows. Llewellyn Hillis was a long time member of the First Baptist Church in Kingsville.
When the Second Great War in Europe was declared Brother Hillis enlisted in the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps achieving the rank of Major. Major Hillis was the Senior Medical Officer of the Wolsley Barracks in London.
On January 19th 1946 Brother Major Doctor Llewellyn Clayton Hillis passed on to Eternity. His name is listed on page 585 in the Book of Remembrance in the Peace Tower at Parliament in Ottawa. Three days later Brother Hillis was laid to rest at Greenhill Cemetery, Kingsville with full military honours.
