Larry Lee Hildebrand

STILLMAN VALLEY, IL ~ Larry L. Hildebrand, 82, passed away with his family by his side at Swedish American Hospital of Rockford, IL. He was born October 2, 1941, in Rockford, IL, the son of Charles M. & J. Viola (Boumgarden) Hildebrand. He graduated, with some very good friends, from Stillman Valley High School in 1959. They still get together every month to have lunch. On December 14, 1962, Larry married the love of his life, Sharon Burd, at what is now the Red Brick Church, in Stillman Valley, IL. Over the next 61 years they built a life together, which included his working at Rockford Blacktop for over 33 years as a heavy equipment operator. He was also a member of the Local 150 Union for 56 years. Throughout his life he enjoyed many things from playing cards, going camping, dancing with his wife in their younger years, and working on projects in his garage. It was said that he could fix just about anything with hard work and a whole lot of duck-tape. Larry and Sharon loved to spend their winters camping in Florida and even spent two months in Alaska with their good friends enjoying their time together. His family would always make time for each other; every Sunday they would travel to a different person’s house for coffee and tea. He also loved his morning coffee gangs which included R.O.M.E.O. (Retired old men eating out.) His family was always apart of his mind though, especially his great-granddaughters. He is preceded in death by his parents, sister and brother-in-laws Frances and Duane Geiger, their infant daughter Julie, and his parents-in-law Harry & Doris Burd. He is survived and missed dearly by his loving wife of 61 years Sharon of Stillman Valley, IL; daughter Kristi Gile of Stillman Valley, IL; son Kevin Hildebrand of Stillman Valley, IL; grandchildren Brandon (Shelby) Gile of Brandon, WI, Morgan (Aaron) Pagles of Stillman Valley, Jacob (Ali Seiler) Hildebrand of Rockford, IL, Sam (Renee Gehrke) Hildebrand of Monroe Center, IL; great-granddaughters Gwyn and Henri “Little Henri”; sister Marceil Crull of Colorado, sisters and brothers-in-law Barb and Gary Sasse, Karen and Gene Schabacker, Deb and Jeff Johnson, and many loved nieces and nephews. 

A funeral service has been scheduled for Saturday, August 31, 2024 beginning at 1:00 PM with Pastor Molly Bowen presiding at Farrell Holland Gale Funeral Home of Stillman Valley, IL. Visitation hours will take just prior between the hours of 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM at Farrell Holland Gale Funeral Home of Stillman Valley, IL. Immdiately following the services at the funeral home, Larry will be laid to rest in Stillman Valley Cemetery. Memorial donations are established in his name and may be directed to the family to be distributed to several different Stillman Valley organizations. As Larry would say “REALLY!!!!!!”