Peter Joseph Hillaker passed away suddenly of natural causes at the age of 39 on January 5, 2022. Pete was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan on June 6, 1982, and grew up in Chelsea, Michigan. He is survived by his parents, Glen and Barbara Hillaker, his siblings, Earl (Kristin), Anna, John, and Daniel. He was a cherished uncle to Adelyn and Jadon, and a beloved nephew, cousin, and friend to more people than we could ever count. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Roger and Verna Zeeff, and Robert and Jane Hillaker, as well as his uncle, Robert Adair, and his cousin, Faith Hillaker.
It is difficult to articulate how profoundly Pete impacted those around him and how deeply he will be missed. He was a light to all those around him, tenaciously joyful and optimistic, a friend to everyone he met. He didn’t let Down syndrome, or any of the other challenges he faced, limit or define him. He embraced life with enthusiasm, optimism, stubbornness, courage, and humor. When Pete greeted you, whether or not he knew you at all, you knew he was thrilled that you were there, and that he was eager to know you and welcome you in.
Perhaps nothing brought Pete as much joy as being in the midst of community. Pete treasured the communities that he was a part of, and was treasured by them. He loved living among his friends at the Intentional Communities of Washtenaw since 2013, where he enjoyed a rich social life and meaningful and supportive friendships with the residents and staff alike. He loved worshipping with his church at the Vineyard Church of Ann Arbor and at Friendship Ministries, where his enthusiasm and heartfelt worship encouraged so many. Peter’s vibrant faith and trust in Jesus were a true testament to all those around him, and an example of what it looks like to welcome everyone into the family of God with open arms.
He loved his work at Polly’s and Kroger over the years, and he was so proud to volunteer with CHS group at various local organizations like Food Gatherers and Goodwill, which brought great meaning to his life. There are so many other communities that Pete was a part of— Special Olympics, Special Needs Camp, equipment manager and superfan for Chelsea High School Football, and more. Pete loved to be at the center of it all, bringing his full self to everything that he did.
Pete lived big, routinely surpassing all expectations for what he could accomplish. It was a running joke that we could never rule out the possibility of Pete achieving even his wildest dreams. He earned his second degree black belt in karate, competed in the Special Olympics in running, swimming, and bowling. He learned how to play the drums, bringing such joy and enthusiasm to worship at the Ann Arbor Vineyard as well as playing in a band with his friends. He was always a ham, ready to put on a performance. He loved to dance, and would tear up whatever dance floor was available to him. He would tap dance, give a speech, whatever form of show was available to him. He was a huge fan of Michigan Football, and always dreamed of playing for the team. To our surprise and delight, he even found a way to pull that off, in a manner of speaking, when his Special Olympic unified flag football team game was broadcast on ESPN.
Pete will be forever cherished and missed. His legacy of deep love, enthusiastic hope, and abounding joy will continue to encourage us all as we mourn.
Visitation will be held at the Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home, on Friday, January 14, 2022, from 6-8 p.m.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 15, 2022, 11:00 a.m., at the Vineyard Church of Ann Arbor, 2275 Platt Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48104. Masks must be worn.
Memorial contributions may be made to Intentional Communities of Washtenaw.
To view the service via livestream: https://vimeo.com/event/1720057
It will also be available live and afterwards at https://www.youtube.com/user/annarborvineyard/videos
