Julia Ida (Mertz) Hillyard, 97, of Moody, passed away on February 9, 2022, in Waco. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, February 15, 2022, at Moody First United Methodist Church, Moody, Texas, with Pastor Josh Pruett officiating. A visitation will be held from 12 to 2 p.m. at the church, prior to the service. Burial will follow at the Moody Cemetery.

Julia was born in Taylor, Texas, on September 26, 1924, to Rudolph and Mary (Walther) Mertz. She grew up in the Joe Lee Community near Rogers where she attended school. After graduation, she attended the nursing school at King's Daughters Hospital in Temple. As the war was ending, she graduated from nursing school and immediately went to work for the VA Hospital in Temple where remained until her retirement as a nursing supervisor. On June 30, 1945, she married H.B. Hillyard, Jr. They moved to the Moody area where they raised their four children.

Julia liked to sew, but she especially enjoyed gardening, using the fruits and vegetables from her garden in her cooking. Cooking was one of her passions as she loved to collect cookbooks and experiment with recipes. As the family knew, she was a wonderful cook, making her own bread and even her own butter. A huge animal lover, she always had a handout for a stray which she usually adopted. She loved all animals, dogs, cats, birds and even raising goats and cattle on bottles.

Preceding her in death were her mother and father; her husband, H.B. Hillyard, Jr.; son, Kenneth Wayne Hillyard; daughter, Mary Jane Hillyard; and two brothers, Leroy Mertz and Allen Mertz.
Survivors include her son, Richard Allen Hillyard and wife Pat of Hillsboro; son Billy Ray Hillyard of Moody; grandson, Zachary Hillyard of Moody; sister-in-law, Joyce Mertz of Rogers and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was a member of Moody First United Methodist Church. Memorials may be made in Julia's name to Moody First United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 98, Moody, Texas 76557.