Services Scheduled for March 10 for D. Armour Hillstrom ’37, Who Served as Allegheny Trustee for 32 Years
Feb. 20, 2012 — D. Armour Hillstrom, who served as a trustee at Allegheny College for 32 years, died at his home in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Feb. 13. A 1937 graduate of Allegheny College, he was a member of Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity.
During his service on the board, from 1957 to 1990, Hillstrom twice led the
college’s Annual Fund drive. In 1972 Allegheny presented him with its oldest and most prestigious award, the Alumni Medal, which is awarded for steadfast loyalty and distinguished service to Allegheny. He received an honorary doctorate from Allegheny College in 1973.
From 1952 until 1960, Hillstrom was vice president and general manager of Corry Jamestown Corporation, a manufacturer of steel office furniture. He served as the corporation’s president and general manager from 1960 until 1971.
In 1971 Hillstrom retired and moved to Sarasota, Florida, where he helped his son form Stromco Inc., a bicycle manufacturer. He served as Stromco’s co-owner, secretary and treasurer.
In addition to serving as an officer of a number of professional associations, Hillstrom was active in his community. He served as president of the Corry Memorial Hospital Board, the Corry Community Chest, the Corry School Board and the Corry YMCA. For many years he served on the board of trustees of Bethesda Lutheran Orphanage in Meadville, Pennsylvania.
As a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Corry, he sang in the church choir, which he also directed, and was a member of the church council. He became a church leader and choir member at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Sarasota from 1973 until 1987 and, when he moved to Charlottesville, Virginia, in 1985, at St. Mark Lutheran Church.
A member of a Civil War history group for over 30 years, Hillstrom spent several days each year traveling to and studying Civil War battle sites. He was a guest at a United States Army War College National Security Seminar in 1985 at Carlisle Barracks in Pennsylvania.
He is survived by a son, David; a daughter, Priscilla Ann; a sister, Mary Williams; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Jane; a brother, Clare; and a daughter, Mary Jane Zonin.
A memorial service will be held at St. Mark Lutheran Church, 100 Alderman Road, in Charlottesville, Virginia, at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 10.