Bruce Elwood Hildebrand

A native of Dayton, Bruce graduated from Stivers High School, class of 1962, and the University of Dayton, class of 1966 BS in Education, and MA in History 1968. He served honorably as a First Lieutenant in the United States Army, in Vietnam 1969-1970 with a Bronze Star. After discharge, he taught high school for several years before joining State Farm, then Standard Register, retiring in 2006.

Bruce loved his family and the outdoors, especially our National Parks. He led many trips across the US and Canada with his wife, family and friends. As boys Bruce and his buddies rode the train to Cincinnati to watch Reds games. Over the years he chased steam and diesel trains from coast to coast taking artistic photos from Cajon Pass to Horseshoe Curve. Sometimes hustling through a tunnel or balancing his tripod on the edge of a cliff was the only way to get to the best picture of the trains steaming through the countryside. He also loved animals, especially horses. He worked for Carl Nafzger handling horses at Canterbury Park in Minnesota, Oaklawn in Arkansas and Keenland in Kentucky. At home, he took great care of his dogs, Pal, Queeny, Rusty, Baron, and Jake. Bruce will be remembered for the hours and years we spent together, his energy, honesty, hard work and dedication.

He was preceded in death by his mother and father, Elizabeth (Smith) & Elwood Hildebrand, his sister Joan Gantner (Hildebrand), aunt Helen Smith of Redlands, CA and cousin Bud Smith.

He is survived by his wife, Patty Hildebrand, cousins Jo Ann Porter (Smith), Terry Saucedo (Smith) and Dick Smith, niece Beverly DeCoster, nephews Mark & Paul Gantner, Jim, Ben & Alec Irvin, Jordan DeCoster, Tim, Josh & niece Sabrina Gantner, and many more friends and family.

Funeral services will be at 12pm on Thursday, September 21st at Tobias Funeral Home, 5471 Far Hills Rd, Dayton, OH. His family will receive friends from 10am to noon. Interment at David’s Cemetery will follow the service.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in Bruce’s memory at https://Givenow.lls.org/ or by mail:

LLS-Ohio River Valley

PO Box 22443

New York, NY, 10087

Condolences may be left online at www.tobiasfuneralhome.com