Donald L. Hildreth

Hildreth, Donald L
83, of Irvine, CA passed away on February 28, 2011. Don grew up in Peoria, AZ , graduating from Glendale High School in 1947. Offered a dozen scholarships from leading universities, including USC, he selected nearby Arizona State. He played on the Varsity Sun Devil football team from 1947 through 1950, but concentrated more on track and field. Competing in both indoor and outdoor meets throughout the US, he set records in the high and low hurdles at regional and national meets. He came within 1/10th of a second of breaking the world record in the high hurdles. While in the USAir Force, he also trained for the Olympic Track Team. He earned his BS degree in Business from Arizona State University and graduated in 1951 with Honors. A member of Lambda Chi Alpha, Don also served as High Beta. During his college years, Don met and dated Virginia Lou Sutter of Phoenix, who also attended ASU. They were married in 1951. Don joined the USAir Force in 1951. He attended Officer Candidate School in 1952 in Texas. Thereafter, he was assigned to serve in Tokyo, Japan, during the Korean War, from 1952-1954. Upon his return he was stationed at Luke Air Force Base until he retired in 1957 as a 1st Lieutenant. After moving to Los Angeles in 1957, Don had some success in film and television. However, his greatest success occurred while working in the real estate industry, in both sales and management positions. He worked with the Forest E. Olsen Company, the Irvine Company and finally with the Mission Viejo Realty and Development Company, later a part of the Phillip Morris Company. Don retired in 1986 and spent his remaining years traveling between his home in Irvine and another in Angeles City, Philippines. Don's parents were Reece T. Hildreth Sr. and Audry Bynum. His brother, Reece T. Hildreth Jr., sisters Eula Hildreth Edwards and Reeva Hildreth Essley, and grandson Rudd Wiechens preceded him in death. He is survived by his younger sister, Patricia Wolter Beebe, of Cave Creek AZ, his wife Margie, and three children, Donald Hildreth Wiechens(Jerrine), Glendale, AZ, Dona Lyn Hildreth Martin(Robert B.),Escondido, CA, and Debra Lou Hildreth Rapier(Rob), Riverton, UT. His nine surviving grandchildren include Cara Cragun(Mark), Cami Lewton(Zack), Dan Inglish, Madison Stevens(Matt), Lauren Inglish and Alex Inglish, the children of Dona; and Zach Ludlow, Sunny
Ludlow and Summer Ludlow Morrison, children of Debbie. He has 16 great-grandchildren. He will be greatly missed by his family and his many friends. A private memorial will be held by family at a later date. Please consider a donation to the Fisher Center For Alzheimer's Research Foundation, www.ALZinfo.org/donate, on behalf of Donald.

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