Barbara Gail Hilsabeck

Barbara Gail Hilsabeck was born to William and Pauline (nee Jacob) Zimmerman on March 3, 1935. She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran Church in and near Wellston, Mo., a St. Louis suburb. Raised by loving grandparents, sister to two younger brothers—William & Robert—Barbara entered into marriage with Howard Hilsabeck, Aug 3, 1956, at Grace Lutheran Church, Wellston. Two mission congregations, Greenwood, Ind.; Grafton, Ohio, followed; two boys—Kurt and Matthew—born in Indiana, two girls—Heidi and Melissa—in Ohio. Rolla, Mo., came next as she got more and more involved in her husband’s ministry, raising the children, in a town-gown situation of professors, students, towns-people. She encouraged her husband toward an evangelism ministry in the Chicago area, near Kansas City, New Jersey, and finally in St. Peters (near St. Charles), Mo. Eleven grand-children have known her love and caring. Her love of gardening was exceeded only by the love of the grandchildren—Lauren, Nick, Chase, Molly, Whitney, Jillian, Abigail, Sam, Morgan, Peter, and Luke. Once on a marriage encounter weekend, each couple was asked to name a positive trait in the spouse. Howard: “She is gracious.” Barbara: “He makes me laugh.” In retirement, 1993 to the present, Barbara lived in Wentzville, Mo., and the last two years in Houston, Texas. When she died, a neighbor friend brought a plant cutting to the door with a note ending, “She was so full of love.” That was Christ’s Love shining through: “LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS I HAVE LOVED YOU.” Services will be held 11 am on Saturday, October 25, 2014 at Trinity Lutheran Church, 800 Houston Ave. Houston, Texas 77007. Burial will be in Immanuel Lutheran Church Cemetery in St. Charles, Missouri.