Eldon Claire Hibbard

Eldon Claire Hibbard, 92, passed away on 29 July 2013 at Warm Beach Nursing Center in Stanwood, WA. He was born on 28 November 1920 in New Boston, MI to Ernest LeRoy and Effie Jeanette Wilson Kempthorne Hibbard.

Eldon grew up in Free Methodist parsonages in New Boston, Hudson, Benton Harbor, Ypsilanti, Petersburg, and Spring Arbor, MI. In 1939 he graduated from Spring Arbor Seminary in Spring Arbor, MI. After high school, he attended college at Spring Arbor Junior College in Spring Arbor, MI and graduated in May, 1941.

He joined the United States Army in 1942 and served for 3 ½ years, serving in the American Theater of WWII as a military policeman, clerk, clerical typist and medical aidman. He was awarded one service stripe and the following honors: Victory Medal, American Theater Ribbon, and the Good Conduct Medal. He was discharged in 1946, achieving the rank of Tech 5.

In 1943, while in military service, Eldon took a three-day leave of absence and married his high school friend and sweetheart, Rena May Densmore. They were happily married for 54 years and raised four children together: Carolyn Sue, Cynthia Ann, Elaine Joyce and Randall Ernest.

After an honorable discharge from the military, Eldon returned to college at Greenville College in Greenville, IL and graduated in 1948, with a degree in Religion. That summer he was assigned his first pastorate in the Free Methodist Church of North America at Benton Harbor, MI where he served 4 years. Rev. Hibbard was then appointed to the Vicksburg, MI Free Methodist Church where he served for 7 years before he moved to Washington state and the Columbia River Conference of the Free Methodist Church. He served 5 years at the Walla Walla, WA Free Methodist Church, 5 years at the Chewelah, WA Free Methodist Church, 10 years at the Queen Avenue, Spokane, WA Free Methodist Church, finishing his ministerial service at the Pendleton, OR Free Methodist Church until his retirement in 1986.

Eldon was a long-time member of Kiwanis. He volunteered for many years for R.S.V.P., as a chaplain for the Warm Beach Fire Department, and as Chaplain’s Assistant for Warm Beach Senior Community. He enjoyed singing, reading, volunteering and spending time with his family

Eldon was preceded in death by his wife, Rena May Hibbard; his parents, Ernest Hibbard and Effie Hibbard Doherty; his brother, Wilson Hibbard; his sister Verna Hibbard Bullock; and two nephews, James Bullock and Ronald Bullock.

Eldon is survived by his daughter Carolyn (Steven) Richards of Arlington, WA; his daughter Cynthia (Wesley) Carmack of Bend, OR; his daughter Elaine (Daniel) Austin of Dallas, OR; his son Randall (Kathleen) Hibbard of Shoreline, WA; his sister Alta (Gordon) Jelliffe of Darien, CT; his sister Miriam (Donald) Northrop of Marysville, WA; his grandchildren: Sarah McIlwain, Jeffrey Richards, Daniel Richards; Brian Carmack, Peter Carmack and Heather Burgess; Timothy Hanson, Steven Hanson and Mark Hanson; Kip Hibbard, Kaitlin Hibbard and Jakob Hibbard; 27 great-grandchildren; and nieces, nephews and other relatives.

A memorial service will be held at the Fireside Room in Beach Wood at Warm Beach Senior Community in Stanwood, WA at 2:00pm on 18 August 2013. A burial service will be held at Skyview Memorial Park Cemetery in Pendleton, OR, on Friday 20 September 2013 at 2:00pm. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Weller Funeral Home, Arlington, WA.

In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations be made to Warm Beach Senior Community, 20420 Marine Drive, Stanwood, WA, 98292. Condolences may be left on Eldon Claire Hibbard’s online guest book at http://obits.dignitymemorial.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Eldon-Hibbard&lc=4173&pid=166138670&mid=5618422&cid=em.legacy.dm.4173.5618422.