Alan Hilliard

Alan Hilliard, founder of Hilliard's Chocolate System, passed away June 11. He was 91.

Hilliard was raised in the family confectionery business, and by the age of 15, he was helping his father in their Quincy store known as Hilliards Candy Store making everything from caramel to fudge to various other types of candy.

Upon graduating from high school, he continued working for the family business and a year prior to entering the military he married his late wife Barbara.

A veteran of WWII, he served in the US Army as a Tech 4 and was stationed in Hawaii. After the end of WWII he was stationed in Japan as part of the US occupational force during the transition. Upon honorable discharge, he resumed working for the family business and together Alan and his wife Barbara began promoting the Hilliard brand, which at one point included 14 stores.

In 1950, as part of the Hilliard Family, Alan and his wife Barbara moved with daughter Margery to Easton, living in an apartment over the newly-opened Hilliard Kitch-In-Vue Candy at the intersection of Main Street and Washington Street.

Today the store is known as Hilliards House of Candy, and it’s still family owned and known for its manufacturing and sale of candy with locations in Easton, Canton and Hanover.

Hilliard continued in the candy business until 1962 when he began building and selling a chocolate tempering machine invented by his father.

He remained in the chocolate machinery business, supplying thousands of shops with Hilliard equipment. He started Hilliards Chocolate System, developing a variety of small to medium-sized tampering machines now used in retail businesses throughout the world and continued that work until his retirement in 1985.

A longtime resident of Easton, after retirement Hilliard and his late wife Barbara spent more than 20 years of time together between Massachusetts and Florida during their retirement and both were devoted to family.

While raising his family in Easton, Hilliard was an active member of the Easton Lions Club serving as past King Lion. Hilliard also spent the last nine months at Atria Woodbriar Place in Falmouth, where he lived a full and active life enjoying the company of great friends and a caring staff.

Hilliard was a World War II Army veteran and active in the Lions Club.

He is survived by his daughter Judy Hilliard McCarthy of Falmouth, Mass., who is now owner of the candy shops, a daughter Margery Davidson of Newport Beach, Calif., and a son David Hilliard of Oak Bluffs, Mass.