Hazel M. Hildebrand, 91, started nursing career at 50
August 8, 2022
Hazel Marie Hampton Hildebrand of Pawleys Island, a tireless caregiver who started a second career as a nurse at age 50, died Aug. 8. She was 91.
She was born April 8 1931, in Oxford, Ohio, the daughter of Martha Coates and Alda Franklin “Bud” Hampton. The oldest of three sisters, Hazel came up during the Great Depression. She watched her mom work three jobs to take care of the family and would walk her sisters to the mailbox to pick up the child support check, then fewer than $10.
At 16, Hazel moved to Hartford City, Ind., to live with her Aunt Thelma and Uncle Hank. She graduated from Hartford City High School and met Robert Gene Hildebrand. They were married in 1951.
The couple had two children, whom they raised where they worked: Hildebrand and Son grocery store and butcher. The family lived next to the store, which served Hartford City residents and the farmers raising corn and soy on the land surrounding the town.
All four family members worked in the store, and on the weekends, Hazel would drive back to Ohio to visit her mother, with her own daughter, Lonna , sleeping on the front seat.
In the early 1980s, Mrs. Hildebrand relocated from Hartford City to Dallas. Her sister Ruth Ann recommended health care, and at age 50, she graduated from nursing school. She worked the next 25 years as a licensed practical nurse in the Dallas-Fort Worth area providing direct care and managing nurses.
Her inclination for caregiving extended to her family, friends and loved ones. She helped raise her oldest grandson, Joe, for several years, working the night shift and then caring for him during the day while Lonna worked.
When she moved into an assisted living facility, Mrs. Hildebrand kept a watchful eye over her fellow residents, making sure their needs were addressed by the staff.
In her personal life, she abided by the three C’s: coffee, cocker spaniels and the Cowboys. Heaven was all three together with the Cowboys winning. She liked her quiet and her Kat Martin, her bread buttered and bacon crisp.
On Thanksgiving, she made Jello that stared back at you. She always had a collection of Disney VHS tapes for her grandchildren when they got tired of climbing the magnolia tree out front or shaking down the neighbors during scavenger hunts. On Sunday mornings, she would take them for donuts and could be counted on to buy things when the parents said no.
After retiring from nursing, Mrs. Hildebrand lived in Ohio, Florida and finally Pawleys Island, where she helped her daughter and son-in-law run Pawleys Pantry and picked up fried chicken at Hog Heaven with her cocker spaniel Sammy riding shotgun. At 80, she finally got to see the Grand Canyon. It was about what she expected. In candid moments, she would lament there were too many men in the world.
Mrs. Hildrebrand was loved by her family and loyal to her friends. She put in the work at her job and for the people she cared about her entire life without complaint. She was not afraid to speak her mind and held a good grudge if you crossed her or, lord forbid, made a joke about one of her dogs.
She is survived by her daughter, Lonna Handley (Ron); her son, Bob Hildebrand (Jeanne); her grandchildren, Joe Monfort (Kirstin), Lauren Hildebrand (Joe Damouny) and Beniah Hildebrand (Teresa); her step-grandchildren, Ron Jr. (Jeana) and Rachel; her great-grandchildren, Antoine (Tony) Damouny, Hailey Hildebrand, Robert (Robbie) Damouny, Ella Hildebrand, Miles Monfort and Lyla Hazel Monfort; her step-great-grandchildren, Jake, Dane and Grayson Handley and Rebecca and Nicole Godwin; her sister, Norma Hull; her nieces, Cheryl Hill, Karen Cummins, Debbie Garrett and Beth Lawrence; and her nephew, Danny Jarvis.
Another sister, Ruth Ann Elliott, died before her as did her half-sister, Linda Kaye Bryant; her niece, Tari Elliott; her nephew, Billy Jarvis; her great-grandson, Luke Robert Hildebrand; and her cocker spaniels, Gus, Peaches, Scooter and Sammy.
Services will be held Oct. 1 at 10 a.m. at Rose Hill Funeral Home and Burial Park in Hamilton, Ohio.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay or St. Frances Animal Center in Georgetown.
