Charles “Charlie” Morris Hileman, age 75, passed away peacefully on Monday, April 6, 2026, at UVA Health University MedicalCenter. He was surrounded by his family.

Charlie was born in Lexington on June 16, 1950, to Phillip Muse Hileman and Catherine Jones Hileman. 

He lived his entire life on the same farm property and was a member of Timber Ridge Presbyterian Church. After his mother’s untimely death when he was 12 years old, the farm was his babysitter and his childhood antics earned him the nickname “Dynamite.” His love for tractors was fueled by a dislike for leading his father's team of horses to the creek to drink after a day's work, and a milk cow once broke his nose with a kick. When farm chores were less than ideal, he would often laugh and say, “Ain’t farming fun?” 

Charlie graduated from RockbridgeHigh School and went on to earn his associate's degree in drafting/engineering at DabneyS. LancasterCommunity College. After a short stint in Norfolk at the shipyard, he was quick to get home to the mountains. He met Darlene Mohler in 1973 and in 49 years of marriage they built a life around their family, their businesses, and the farm where he grew up. It was together that Charlie and Darlene were their very best, and their bond and commitment to each other was inspiring. When their children were young, Charlie and Darlene cherished the time spent together involved in 4H and FFA livestock activities.

Charlie never picked one career, he picked them all; and because of that, he was knowledgeable and as handy as they come. After an early career at the telephone company, Charlie famously quit his job one day, came home to tell Darlene, and threw his tie across the kitchen table, telling her he was done working for someone else. 

Charlie and Darlene then built and managed several successful businesses over the years, including a long and proud run with Hileman Tire Company, where they welcomed locals, students, and tourists for years with Charlie always saying, “Take care of your car and it’ll take care of you.”

Depending on the point in his life, he could landscape your yard, climb your telephone pole, sell you a Christmas tree, sell you tires, fix your vehicle, restore your antique tractor, sell you ice cream, or sell you a house. He ended his career in real estate, where an early industry mentor told him that nobody knew the land in RockbridgeCounty better than he did.

In his prime, being outdoors was his favorite pastime. He loved to hunt deer, hunt turkey, and fish for trout. In his mind, bag limits and property lines were suggestions that he abided by most of the time. Turkey hunting was his passion and he was dedicated to chasing them across RockbridgeCounty. Ironically, later in his life, wild turkeys migrated to his farm and he considered them pets and spent endless hours watching them from his back porch. That back porch was his favorite place to be; listening to the turkeys gobble, watching deer run by, checking on cattle in the field, waiting on warm weather, and cursing “that doggone wind.” In his younger years he loved being on the water, whether at the beach, on the lake, or fishing with his buddies on the Chesapeake Bay. As his desire to “run up and down the road” waned over the years, he often said, “I’ll go anywhere in the world as long as I can see my house when I get there.” 

Dynamite loved people. He loved his family, loved having a good time, and could give one heck of a good wedding speech. He is survived by his wife Darlene, son Charles Zachary “Zack” Hileman (Molly) and their three children Macie, Charles Hayes, and Henry of Lewisburg, W.Va.; daughter Carrie Hileman Chenery (Taylor) and their two girls Mary Charles and Hollis of Staunton. His grandchildren affectionately knew him as “Papa Charlie.”

We are reminded daily that Charlie’s wit, character, and values have been passed down to the younger generations of Hilemans. We strive to do things right and for the right reasons, our families are our top priority, a joke and a good time are always welcome. Sometimes when we feel upset with a situation, “hell flies into us” just like it did in him, and we are well aware that “some people are just like that.”

The family will receive friends 5 to 7 p.m. Friday April 10, at Harrison’s Funeral Home in Lexington.

In lieu of flowers or donations, go outside and breathe the fresh air, shake hands firmly, take a minute to visit a neighbor, have a cold drink with someone you love, and do what you promised. 

Arrangements are by Harrison Funeral Home & Crematory, Lexington, Va.