grew up in the Billings/Park City area where the family farmed and
had a dairy. He graduated from Park City High School.
He served in the Army during the Korean War. After he was
discharged he spent three months in the Veteran’s Hospital. He was
then approached by start-up sand and gravel company to work for
them. They gave him flexible hours so he could attend college while
working. He graduated from Rocky Mountain College in 1958, with a
degree in Business and Accounting. He went to college under the GI
Bill. He was President of the Circle K Club during his senior year.
He met his wife Alene in Billings. She had just moved there and
had never been to a dance before. When the band played a polka at
his relative’s wedding reception, Elmer led Alene to the dance floor.
She asked how to do it and he told her to shut her eyes and hang on!
They danced at least twice a week for most of the 59 years they were
married until Alene’s passing in 2014. He and Alene were married on
September 17, 1955. Alene was secretary to the President of Rocky
Mountain College. Elmer said she helped write his papers and helped
him get through college.
Elmer spent 39 years in the Property and Casualty industry’s
Claims department. For forty years he spent summers at Loon Lake
WA, where he loved to fish. He had rental properties for 26 years which
interfered with his winter retirement in Mesa, AZ. There he enjoyed
golfing but it took him four years to get a hole-in-one!
He was a member of the Deer Park Eagles, the American Legion,
and a life member of the DAV. Elmer spent the last five years at
Fairwinds Retirement Community and enjoyed the friends and staff
there very much.
He is survived by his four children: Resa (Jeff) Rawley, Vance
(Colleen), Janna Hand, and Ross (Kelley).
Elmer’s memorial service will be held on October 10th at 1:00 pm
at the Eastern Washington Veteran’s Cemetery in Medical Lake with a
gathering afterward.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.BallandDodd.com for the Hilderman family.
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