Elmer Cecil Hildebrand, 100, son of William W. and Eva Mahala Cooper Hildebrand, was born May 28, 1907, at Ladd. He died July 29, 2007, at Texas County Memorial Hospital in Houston.
He grew up on the farm in Texas County and went to St. Louis to work.
He married Ethel Hampton in April 1932. They had two children.
Mr. Hildebrand served in the Army during World War II from 1943 to 1945 in the 657th Field Artillery. He was overseas in Germany with heavy artillery and received a Bronze Star.
He retired from Civil Service at Fort Leonard Wood.
After the death of his wife, he married Lillie Williams in 1978. She had six grown children.
Mr. Hildebrand loved working in his garden and raising flowers. He enjoyed hunting and fishing, the outdoors and sitting on his porch watching the birds and wildlife.
He was a member of the Roby Baptist Church.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife; four brothers, Otto and Paul Hildebrand and two infant brothers, Clarence and Darcy; one sister, Stella; and a stepdaughter, Audrey Vaughn.
Surviving are his daughter, Bonnie Breckenridge of Plato; one son, Dennis Hildebrand of Kimberling City; five stepchildren, Norma Roberts, Eula Vaughn, Larry Williams, Dean Williams and Jean Wade; one brother, Rodney Hildebrand of Plato; three sisters, Etta Rampani of Bridgeton, Agnes Eastin of Milan, Ill., and Iris Clark of Ventura, Calif.; six grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and 19 great-great-grandchildren.
Services are 2 o’clock today (Thursday) at the Roby Baptist Church with the Rev. Brock Davis officiating. Burial is in the Long Hollow Cemetery under the direction of Evans Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to the Long Hollow Cemetery.
