Marlin Densil Hilton

On Wednesday, April 21, 2021, Marlin D. Hilton "Dennis/Denny", loving husband and father, passed away at the age of 75 from ALS/Lou Gehrig's Disease. Denny was born in 1945 in St. Louis, Missouri to Maurice and Pauline Hilton. He graduated from East Prairie High School in East Prairie, MO in 1963. He received his B.A. in Business Administration from Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas in 1967. In 1968, Denny joined the Marine Corps and spent the next 30 years as a Logistics Officer, retiring as a Colonel in May 1998. During his time in the Marines, he served in the Vietnam War and Desert Storm. Denny found a second career in the trucking industry while employed at CalArk International where he spent almost 20 years. In 1965 he married his wife Karen and they raised two daughters, Holly and Heather. Denny had a passion for the St. Louis Cardinals, safety in the trucking industry, and his beloved Marine Corps. He loved spending time with his family, walking along the James River, reading historical books and catching up with old friends. He was known for his kindness, compassion and love for God, Country and Corps. He was a member of the West End Church of Christ and missed going to church each Sunday this past year. Denny was preceded in death by his father Maurice and his mother Pauline, and his sister Ramona. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Karen, his daughters Holly Hilton and Heather Ledford (Joey), his sister Margie, his brother Richard, his sister-in-law Madge, and lots of cousins, nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held at 10:30am on Friday, October 22. Interment will follow at Quantico National Cemetery at 2pm. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made to Project ALS in his name.