Elizabeth H. Hildreth

Mrs. Elizabeth Hildreth was born in Ridgewood, NJ in 1915 and passed quietly in the Southlake Nursing Home, June 29, 2013. It should be noted that Elizabeth received a BFA in 1938 from the Calvert School in New York City. She enjoyed painting, writing, and reading all of her life. She met, fell in love with, and married Albert Hildreth in October of 1941. During WWII, she was an assistant curator at the Newark Museum of Art. Mrs. Hildreth moved to Jacksonville in 1948 with her husband and one year old son Mark. Clare, her daughter was born in 1951. Her second son Chris was born in 1952. In the 60s and 70s Mrs. Hildreth worked at Whites, a book store in San Marco. Some may remember her; she had snow white hair, and was the cashier. She often relocated the Cliff Notes much to the chagrin of those trying to fathom Silas Marner or The Mayor of Casterbridge the day before their book reports were due. Mrs. Hildreth loved books and felt everyone should as well. Elizabeth was an active citizen in her community, often registering her views with the Florida Times Union and political representatives like Charlie Bennett, Tillie Fowler, and a host of presidents. She wrote for the ecology, peace, women's issues, and a nuclear weapon free world. Her activity earned her a visit from the Secret Service in 1975 in advance of the Ford/Sadat meeting at Epping Forest. They left satisfied. Mrs. Hildreth displayed her lifelong love for books and reading in her final years at the Wyndham Lakes Assisted Living library expanding the number of volumes, categorizing the titles, and developing a lending system for the residents to enjoy. The facility director had the library named after her in 2009. Mrs. Hildreth was fervent but subtle in her faith. She went to Mass weekly and prayed the rosary quietly with no fanfare. Those who knew her well knew she possessed a dynamic spirituality. She preferred to hand this dynamism down to her children though example. In later years grandchildren were her pride and joy. She enjoyed their company in her home and staged plays, painting sessions (on all mediums, even walls), trips to Crabtree Park, and the Duck Pond on old San Jose Blvd., and readings of myriad titles: everything from Donald Duck's Bad Day, to The Polar Express, to Where the Wild Things Are. In addition to her three children Mrs. Hildreth is survived by four grandchildren, two step-grandchildren, and two great grandchildren. She'll be missed by all except for those few who tanked their book reports lo those many years ago. A funeral mass will be held at ten o'clock in the morning on Friday, July 19, 2013 at San Jose Catholic Church 3619 Toledo Rd, with Monsignor Mortimer Danaher as celebrant. Interment will follow in Oaklawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers Elizabeth would prefer well-wishers to make a donation to NOW (National Organization for Women). Hardage-Giddens, The Oaklawn Chapel, 4801 San Jose Boulevard is serving the family.