Guy Bilyeu
Guy Samuel Bilyeu, 54, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, died peacefully on September 14, 2013.
Guy was born in Hopewell, Va., on Feb. 25, 1959. He attended Hopewell High School and was a beloved part of the HHS Class of ’77. He attended Richard Bland College and Tidewater Ballet in Virginia.
From 2003, he served as executive director of the Humane Educational Society in Chattanooga. Under his leadership HES was named Animal Shelter of the Year in 2005 and inducted in the Tennessee Animal Hall of Fame in 2006. He was also a founding member of Wally’s Friends Clinic. In 2009, at the request of PetSmart Charities, he created a webinar on HES’ “Getting to Zero” program to end euthanasia for treatable, adoptable and trainable animals and HES has not had to euphonize TAT animal since 2008. From 2006 he served as board member of Humane Strategies, which runs the Rescue Waggin Program for PetSmart Charities and was fully involved in its development.
Prior to HES, he was a professional ballet dancer for 22 years and was a principal dancer with his former wife and principal ballerina Eileen Price for Nevada Dance Theatre, Sacramento Ballet, Colorado Ballet and he was guest artist with various companies throughout the U.S. He also performed as a professional singer and was a favorite at karaoke establishments. Concurrently, he worked to help animals e.g., initiative on the ballot to end the selling of shelter animals to research in Sacramento, CA; helped obtain video footage of orangutans being beaten, leading to a show being canceled in Las Vegas; PAWS.
He was preceded in death by his father, Hank Bilyeu.
He is survived by his loving mother, Anne Bilyeu; eternally devoted fiancée, Kim Radcliffe to whom Guy shall always be her love and angel; siblings, Gary Bilyeu (Jill/Kirby/Katie), favorite sister, Cherry Bilyeu-Buhl (Norman/Nicholas), Scott Bilyeu (Sharon/ Kendall), special cousins, extended family and friends who loved him more than life itself and whom he loved very much. He embodied passion for life and he lived his dreams. His essence was love, and he strove for peace and harmony. He was sunshine with glowing sunflower eyes.
Visitation will be held at Hamilton Funeral Home, Hixson, on Tuesday, Sept. 17, from 2-8 p.m.
Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 18, with the place and time to be announced.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Humane Educational Society, 212 North Highland Park Ave., Chattanooga, Tn. 37404.
Arrangements are by Hamilton Funeral Home & Cremation Services; 4506 Hixson Pike, Hixson, Tn. 37347, 423 531-3975.