Raymond Laverne Hildebrand

Raymond L. Hildebrand, 98, of Waukon, IA, died Saturday, November 3, 2018, at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. Funeral services will be held Thursday, November 8th, at 11:00 AM at St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Waukon with Rev. Kim Gates officiating. Burial will be at Oakland Cemetery, Waukon. Friends may call one hour before the services on Thursday at the church. Martin Funeral Home in Waukon is handling arrangements for the family. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Good Samarian Center or Veterans Memorial Hospital, both in Waukon.

Raymond Laverne Hildebrand was born January 31, 1920, in Waterloo, IA, the son of Ray Verne and Rosena M. (Shawyer) Hildebrand. He and his family moved to California in 1927. Ray was baptized in Los Angeles and graduated from high school in 1939. From the age of 12, Ray had newspaper routes until he started working for Ralph's grocery stores. He met Mary Loraine Dorward on a blind date; they were married on August 18, 1940, in Tecate, Mexico.

Raymond was drafted into Army/Air Corps in 1942; he served stateside as an aircraft mechanic. His daughter Lockie was born in 1943. After Ray was discharged from the service in 1946, he and Mary moved to Hawthorne, CA. Their son William was born in 1947. Ray worked in the aircraft industry in California from 1947 until he retired in 1982. He was a tool and die maker working for North American, McDonald Douglass, and Boeing over the course of his career. After retiring, they moved to Waukon, IA, to be closer to family.

Ray was a member of St. Paul's United Methodist Church. He enjoyed woodworking, gardening, and keeping his yard as neat and tidy as possible.

Survivors include his children: Lockie Lee (Lester) Sass of Waukon and William Ray Hildebrand of Los Angeles, CA; two grandchildren: Linda (Allen) Lyon of Waukon and Lester (Anne) Sass, Jr. of West Union, IA; seven great-grandchildren: Amanda (Michael) Horne, Matthew and Noah Lyon, and Andrew, Laurie, Alex, and Lucas Sass; and two great-great-grandchildren: Isla Horne and Jedidiah Sass. He is preceded in death by his parents; his wife Mary, who died in 1998; and a sister Charlene Petter, who died in 2007.

Casketbearers are Lester Jr., Andrew, Alex, and Lucas Sass, and Allen and Noah Lyon.