Greg J. Hillerman

Greg J. Hillerman, tragically passed away Friday, January 6th at 59 years old.
 
He is survived by his wife Tammy, his son Eric, his sister Debbie and his father Raymond.
He is predeceased by his mother Barbara Bellow.
 
Greg was born in Hackensack, NJ and attended Ridgewood High School. Upon graduation, Greg joined the Ridgewood Fire Department where he served for 31 years. During his career as a firefighter Greg (AKA “The Dude”) was decorated with many awards, rising through the ranks to lieutenant and ultimately captain before he retired in 2017. For over half his career at the fire department Greg acted as Union President and was a crucial resource for determining fire department equipment purchases. Greg developed many close and life-long friendships at the firehouse and will be missed by all of those that served with him over three decades. Greg always led by example and was a positive mentor to many of the firefighters throughout his career. When responding to calls in the field Greg was fearless, his performance under pressure and ability to remain composed was exceptional. Greg would quickly develop a plan to succeed in even the most difficult scenarios, and would not hesitate to be the first in. Greg was well known by his colleagues for his unmatched mechanical abilities & innovation of firehouse systems and repairs. When the need for new fire command vehicles arose, Greg went to work designing and fabricating the interior layouts for the various tools & communications systems required. During this process he worked with companies that design custom interiors and they commented on his ability to refine some of the standard set-ups, one of them commenting that he would do well as a consultant in this field!

After retiring from the fire department Greg, split his time between his homes in Florida and New Jersey. As was the case in his work, Greg’s amazing mechanical abilities were an ongoing passion with plumbing, electrical, carpentry, lawn-sprinklers and more in the mix. Greg enjoyed gardening and was particularly fond of irises. Greg even designed and built a remarkable dam at his home in Wyckoff that protected his neighbor’s pond from receding, while maintaining the natural flow to the brook at the back of his property. A project that would impress any civil engineer. Greg was also quick to volunteer to help his many friends and family members seeking project assistance with their homes or cars. Greg happily gave unending support to his wife’s family during times of need, enjoying travel to Albania and Croatia with them.

Greg was an avid car enthusiast and regularly attended vintage car shows, often with his own 1967 Corvette or his 1971 Oldsmobile Cutlass SX. Verging on perfectionism, Greg was always keen to keep his cars in immaculate shape and won several awards over the years.

Greg had a love for fishing and wildlife in general. Greg had the opportunity to fish not only in New Jersey, passing on his passion to friends and loved ones, but also around the country. Greg took trips to fish for bass in Arkansas’ Bull Shoals Lake and Florida’s Lake Okeechobee, as well as in the Hudson for Striper and up north for Smallmouth Bass.

Greg’s love of music and live concerts saw him attend many live events, with favorites including the Rolling Stones, ZZ-Top & Rammstein all of whom he saw many times in person. Always memorable experiences for his friends and family who joined him!

Greg will be remembered as a kind-hearted person who chose his friends carefully. Those he chose to be a part of his inner circle knew he was their true friend. The lives of all who knew Greg were enriched by his words and deeds. Gone far too soon but Greg will live on in all of those whose lives he touched.