John H. Hilton Jr.

May 17, 2021 of South Wales, New York. He was born May 10, 1926 in Dunkirk, New York. Son of the late John and Ida (Dunn) Hilton, and the loving husband of Mary (Bye) Hilton, of South Wales. John attended South Park High School and served in the United States Navy from 1943 to 1948. He was

educated at Rensselaer Polytech Institute and received his commission as an Ensign and served as

commanding officer on landing craft LCT-599. Subsequent to his discharge from military service, he returned home to wed Mary Katherine Bye on June 11th, 1949 at St. Bridget’s Church, in Lockport, NY. John worked at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, the precursor to NASA, as an aeronautical engineer. At age 26, he assisted in the development of the first hypersonic wind tunnel at Langley AFB in Virginia. He then moved his family to Buffalo while advancing his career at Cornell Aeronautical Laboratory in Buffalo. With a vision to move out of the City of Buffalo in 1954, he built a

new home for a growing family of seven children in South Wales. John lost his voice to cancer in 1978 and shortly thereafter began working for New York State Department of Transportation. John was a survivor. He overcame cancer, a traumatic automobile accident, a career change and loss of his eyesight. He was widowed after 62 years of marriage. He adapted and accepted those things he saw as setbacks with the inevitable hope that things will get better. And they always did. Above all, he believed that with family, we are not alone. John was predeceased by his wife Mary. He leaves behind his sister

Dorothy Sandy of Boston, NY; and his children, John (Barb) Hilton of South Wales NY, Elaine (Bruce) McNutt of Pendleton NY, Dave (Pat) Hilton of Rochester NY, Mike (Debra) Hilton of Akron NY, Richard (Janine) Hilton of Clarence NY, Lisa (Jeff) Zoltak of So. Wales, Colin (Missy) Hilton of Park City, Utah; and his grandchildren, Kristin Hilton, Teresa (Jorge) Garcia, Sarah McNutt, Mark (Becky) Hilton, Jessica (Aleks) Roising, Rebecca (Jen) Hilton-Miller, Mary (Nick) Cocuzza, Christopher Hilton, Rachael Hilton,

Jennifer Hilton, Jacob Zoltak, Lucas (Samantha) Zoltak, Shane Hilton, Evan Hilton, Adam Hilton; and his great-grandchildren, Vera, Eve and Leah Hilton, Finn and Claire Roising. Friends and Family are invited to WOOD FUNERAL HOME, 784 Main Street, East Aurora on Friday, from 4-8 PM. Online condolences may be shared at www.woodfh.com