He was born near Menlo, Iowa, on August 20, 1905. He received his elementary education in his native village, began his high school studies at St. Mary's in Stewart, Iowa, and completed his preparatory studies for entering the Order at Aquinas High School and College, Columbus, Ohio, and at Providence College. He received the habit of the Order in St. Rose Priory, Springfield Kentucky and there made his profession on August 16, 1931. He made his philosophical studies in the Dominican House of Studies, River Forest, and hi theological studies in St. Joseph's Priory Somerset, Ohio, and in the House of Studies, Washington. He was ordained on June 1l, 1937, in St. Dominic's Church, Washington.

Father Lillie devoted his entire priestly life to the apostolate of Catholic education. He taught for nine years at Fenwick High School Oak Park, Illinois, three years in extension work in Ponchatoula for St. Mary's Dominican College, New Orleans, Louisiana, seven years in the Dominican College of our Sisters in Racine, Wisconsin, and the last five years of his life in St. Mary's College, near Leavenworth, Kansas with residence in Holy Name, Kansas City, Missouri. During the last ten years of his life he was also Provincial Promotor of the Blessed Imelda Confraternity and by his zeal contributed largely to its wide dissemination. After a short illness and brain surgery in Rochester, Minn., he was transferred at the request of his family to Mercy Hospital, Des Moines, Iowa, where he died on May 29, 1966, and was buried in the community cemetery of St. Peter Martyr Priory, Winona, Minnesota.