Josephine Padua Hilton

Josephine Padua Hilton passed away peacefully on August 21, 2026. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, at Dunbar Funeral Home, Dutch Fork Chapel, 7600 Woodrow St, Irmo, SC 29063. The family will receive friends immediately following the service at the funeral home.

Josie was born on March 20, 1944, to Honesto and Leonor Padua in Manila, Philippines. Josie and her family were the first Filipino family to immigrate together to the United States after WWII in 1957. After arriving in Los Angeles and moving a few times, they eventually settled in Columbia, SC where Josie attended middle and high school. After high school she was recruited by the FBI and moved to Washington D.C. That is where Josie met her beloved husband, Joe Hilton, who was also with the FBI. They were married for more than 57 years when Joe passed in October 2021. Together they had two incredible children who they adored, Shelly and Shayne.

Josie worked for the FBI from 1966 until her retirement in 2001. During her time with the FBI, Josie was praised for her diligence, attention to detail, communication and timeliness in her recruiting and staffing work.

Josie was a beloved wife, mother, Nana, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend whose greatest joy in life was her family. Family was always the most important thing to her, and she had a special way of making everyone around her feel loved, welcomed, and completely at ease.

She loved taking care of the people she loved. She spoiled her family with thoughtful gifts at birthdays and holidays, but just as often, she would show up with a bag of groceries or something she had picked up simply because she knew someone would like it. Her generosity was never about the occasion—it was just who she was.

As a Nana to four grandchildren, she fully embraced the philosophy of “Nana’s house, Nana’s rules.” Her house was a place where there was almost always candy, a surprise gift, or some other little treasure waiting for her grandchildren. She took great joy in spoiling them, and they knew they could count on Nana to make them feel special.

She rarely talked about herself and was much more interested in hearing about the people around her. She had a wonderful sense of humor and loved to joke—not only with the people she knew, but with complete strangers. She had a gift for making people feel like old friends, often bringing a little laughter and lightness to an ordinary interaction. Josie was an avid bowler, enjoyed playing poker and mahjong with her family, and was well-traveled – with her favorites being Spain, Alaska, and Hawaii.

Her kindness and generosity extended far beyond her immediate family. Her Christmas gift list famously included longtime restaurant servers, retail associates, fellow “regular diners,” and undoubtedly many others whose names her family may never even know. She noticed people. She remembered them. And if someone had made her life a little brighter, she found a way to make theirs a little brighter in return.

She was also an active and valued member of the Red Hat Club, the Shriners at Jamil, and the Daughters of the Nile, where she enjoyed the friendships, fellowship, and opportunities to give back that were so important to her.

Above all, Josie will be remembered for the love she gave so freely. She made people feel comfortable, cared for, and welcome. She found joy in giving, laughter in everyday moments, and happiness in being surrounded by the people she loved. Her family and friends will miss her deeply, but the warmth, generosity, humor, and love she shared with so many will remain a part of them forever.

Josie is predeceased by her parents, Honesto and Leonor Padua, baby sister, Remy Padua Henderson, and her husband, Joe Hilton. Surviving and missing her always are her daughter, Shelly (Todd) Shealy, her son, Shayne (Lindsey) Hilton, brothers Mike and Peter, sister Fran, and her dear grandchildren, Kelsey (Zach) Jones, Parker Shealy, Kemper Hilton, and Wells Hilton.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Shriners Hospital For Children, 950 W Faris Rd, Greenville, SC 29605.