Betty Hilton

Betty Beatrice Hilton, age 75, passed on December 7, 2008, in San Antonio, seven months after being diagnosed with a brain tumor. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Dr. Charles B. Hilton. Survivors include: her husband, Joel Feinglass; her daughters, Rabbi Julie Hilton Danan and husband Avraham Danan of Chico, California, Melissa Hilton and husband Jonathan Perman of Chicago, Illinois, and Alison Hilton and husband Dr. David Wohl, of Carrboro, North Carolina; her grandchildren, Liora, Elisheva, Shira, Charles, and Arielle Danan, Jacqueline and Alexander Perman, and Nia and Izaac Wohl; her step-children, Leonore McIntyre Meuchner and husband Christopher Meuchner of Arlington, Virginia, and David Feinglass and wife Karen Holden Feinglass of San Diego, California; her brother, Sidney J. Lindheim of Carrollton, Texas; her sister-in-law, Sylvia Hilton of San Antonio, Texas; and her uncle, Jay Scovronek of South Plainfield, New Jersey, as well as several cousins. Betty Hilton was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, writer, Jewish community professional, spiritual seeker and chaplain. She was born Betty Beatrice Lindheim on April 3, 1933, in Passaic, New Jersey, the elder child of Michael, a pharmacist, and Ida Lindheim who spent her latter years in San Antonio, a teacher. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Montclair College in New Jersey. She married Charles B. Hilton on June 5, 1955, and worked as a teacher while he became a pediatrician. In 1961, his Air Force service brought them to San Antonio, which they decided to make their home. Betty was active as a stay-at-home mom and volunteer. In the 1970's, she tutored English to Vietnamese immigrants at Alamo Heights High School. Betty did freelance writing for San Antonio newspapers and other local publications and became editor of the Jewish Journal of San Antonio. In 1979, Charles Hilton was killed in an accident while jogging near the family ranch in Utopia, Texas, and Betty had to embark on a new chapter in life. She became Director of the Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of San Antonio, where she was involved in setting up a program in which Holocaust survivors spoke to local public school students. In 1981-82, Betty spent a year studying traditional Jewish texts at the Pardes Institute in Jerusalem. In 1985, she moved to Washington, D.C., where she worked for B'nai B'rith international. She founded three spirituality groups for Jewish women, one in Maryland, and later two more in San Antonio, called Chava and Neshamah. In Washington, Betty met her second husband, Joel Feinglass, and they were married on September 3, 1989. They lived in Bethesda, Maryland before returning to San Antonio in 1993. Betty served on committees and boards for Congregation Beth Am, Temple Beth El, the Jewish Federation, Jewish Family Service, and as a member of the Palestinian-Jewish Dialogue. She had a lifelong talent and love for music. In recent years, Betty embarked on a new professional career as a hospital chaplain. She completed Clinical Pastoral Education at the Ecumenical Center for Religion and Health, and did an internship at the Metropolitan Methodist Hospital, before becoming San Antonio's first Jewish hospital chaplain in June, 2005, and serving at the main Methodist hospital, where she retired this spring.

Rabbi Barry H.D. Block, Rabbi Samuel M. Stahl, and Cantor Julie Bertin officiating.