Billy Joe “Bill” Hiatt, 78, of Fort Wayne, formerly of Warsaw, passed away at 8:20 a.m. Thursday, April 2, 2015, at his home.

He was born on Jan. 8, 1937, in Piqua, Ohio, to Elster and Mary (Pollock) Hiatt.

He graduated in 1955 from Wendell Wilke High School in Elwood, and on July 8, 1961, in Tipton he married Bette K. Leisure who survives. He was raised in Madison County, lived in Grant County for 35 years after he was married, moved to Warsaw (Sechrist Lake) in 2006 before moving to Fort Wayne in 2014. He was formerly employed at Ex-cell-o Corporation in Elwood for 20 years, CTX Expedited Company in Detroit, Mich., and was a farmer for 35 years before retiring in 1997.

He was a member of the United Methodist Church in Elwood and the Elks Lodge in Elwood. He attended the United Methodist Church in North Webster and The Chapel in Fort Wayne.

He is survived by his wife: Bette Hiatt, Fort Wayne; daughter: Leeanna Kirkwood, Warsaw; two sons: Christopher (Sharon) Hiatt, Rochester; and David Hiatt, Fort Wayne; four granddaughters: Annie Cool; Abbie Kirkwood; Felicia Svarczkopf; and Chantal Hiatt; brother: Jerry (Judy) Hiatt, Anderson.

He was preceded by his parents; stepmother: Eleanor Hiatt; and brother: Kent Hiatt.

Visitation will be from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, April 6, at Owen Family Funeral Home, SR 13 and CR 500N, North Webster. Funeral services will follow on Monday in the funeral home with Pastor Gary Endersby of The Chapel officiating. Burial will be at the Knox Chapel Cemetery in Fairmount at a later date.

Memorial bequest may be given to the Senior Primelife Enrichment Center (SPEC), P.O. Box 471, North Webster, IN 46555, or Visiting Nurse Hospice, 5910 Homestead Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46814. Envelopes are available at the funeral home.