Esther Mae Hiltbrand

MOUNT HOREB - Esther Mae Hiltbrand, age 100, passed away on Tuesday, August 17, 2021, at Crest Ridge Assisted Living in Dodgeville. She was born to Claire and Louise (Mickelson) Campbell on May 22, 1921. She joined sister, Eleanor (14 months old), and both were later joined by brother, Milford (“Barney”). She attended the Barneveld school and graduated with her sister in 1938. She was a proud member of the Barneveld High School band and enjoyed her class reunions each year until 2018. She loved to socialize, dance and she and her friends followed their favorite band, The Dan Garson Orchestra, all over southern Wisconsin. On March 3, 1946, Esther Mae married William (Bill) Hiltbrand, the brother of Eleanor’s husband, Walter. Esther Mae and Bill had two children, Joan and Dwayne, and farmed in Blanchardville and Daleyville before “moving to town” (Mount Horeb). Esther Mae worked at Goebel’s Restaurant and then Shubert’s Restaurant until her retirement. She was an active member of the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Mount Horeb. Bill preceded her in death in 1992 and so began her many years of taking care of herself and her house as independently as anyone could. Her sister, Eleanor, became her main companion and it was not uncommon to see them together at church, at family and social gatherings, sporting events, playing cards and running errands. It was also not uncommon to see Esther Mae sweeping her driveway, shoveling her snow, taking out her garbage and driving her 1992 Buick until a fall in 2019 relocated her to Crest Ridge. Family meant everything to her and she enjoyed any reason for a get-together. Besides her children, Esther Mae truly loved her grandchildren and spent as much time with them as possible playing Old Maid, Racko and Chinese checkers, putting together puzzles, and attending any family event that was on the schedule, toting them with to “show them off.” She very much enjoyed watching them in sports and school events. Great-grandchildren followed and they penned her the nicknames of “Grandma Yo-yo” (because of a red yo-yo she kept in a bureau drawer that the kids were fascinated by) and “Esther-mazing” (because, well… she was). Grandma Hiltbrand saved us all on many occasions with her foolproof way of getting each of her great-grandbabies to sleep with her humming and rocking when nothing else worked. Esther Mae is survived by her children, Joan Knox of Arvada, CO, and Dwayne Hiltbrand of Avoca; her grandchildren, Travis Knox of Peyton, CO, Lia (Scott) Leahy of Barneveld, Luke (Errin) Hiltbrand of Barneveld, and Jesse (Valerie) Hiltbrand of Avoca; her great-grandchildren, Sierra and Taylor Knox; Morgan and Ryan Gust; Jackson and Bennett Hiltbrand; and Brigston and Graceleigh Hiltbrand; step-great-grandchildren, Kayleigh and Nicole Leahy; sister-in-law, Rosemary Campbell of Barneveld; and many nieces and nephews that she loved like her own. She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents, sister and brother; her son-in-law, Ronald Knox; her sisters and brothers in-law, Martha (Art) Meyer, Fritz (Garnet) Hiltbrand, Walter (Eleanor) Hiltbrand, Ernie (Helen) Hiltbrand, Jack (Jean) Hiltbrand, and Ida (Gary) Swenson; nephews, Bob Hiltbrand and Roger Hiltbrand; her great-niece, Janel (Hiltbrand) Hynek; and by many, many friends, too numerous to count. A funeral service will be held at IMMANUEL LUTHERAN CHURCH, 310 W. Main Street, Mount Horeb, on Saturday, August 21, 2021, at 11 a.m. with Rev. Jared Parmley presiding. Burial will take place at Mount Horeb Union Cemetery. Visitation will be held at the church on Saturday, August 21, 2021, from 9 a.m. until the start of service. The family would like to thank the staff at Crest Ridge Assisted Living and Upland Hills Health for the care given to her over the past two years. Mom/Grandma/Great-Grandma - we do not know a physical world without you in it yet but because of you our lives will forever be brighter. We will miss you every day but are so happy you are finally reunited with Grandpa, Eleanor, Barney and your family and many friends. We find happiness in knowing you are once again playing euchre and Jass, enjoying a cold drink, and hopefully picking up dancing again. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com. Gunderson Camacho Mount Horeb Funeral & Cremation Care 500 N. Eighth St. (608) 437-5077