Robert Eugene "Bob" Hiltabiddle

Robert Eugene "Bob" Hiltabiddle, 89, of Sheffield Village, passed away after a brief illness Tuesday, December 28, 2021. He was born in Warren, Ohio May 25, 1932 and graduated from Warren G Harding High School in 1950. His family moved to Elyria in 1951 where he became an apprenticed machinist repairman at The Western Automatic, Moen Valve. He married Marilou Hoag Sept 3, 1955 and in 1958 they started Hiltabiddle Greenhouse with ½ acre under glass. It grew to 2 acres and they raised gourmet tomatoes and cucumbers for 36 years. He was very innovative in automating the watering, heating, and fertilizing operations in his greenhouse before it became the norm. During those years, he was a board member and officer of the Greenhouse Growers Association of Cleveland, the Greenhouse Vegetable Packing Co., and Cleveland Growers Marketing Co. After closing his greenhouse in 1994, he spent 13 years as the maintenance supervisor at the Murray Ridge Center for Developmental Disabilities in Elyria. He was a 66-year member of the Elyria First United Methodist Church, where he had served on the Trustees and Finance Committees. He was a social member of Elyria Country Club for many years. In his younger days, he enjoyed camping with his family in their Airstream trailer and visited all 50 states during his travels. In his retirement, he became an avid reader, including his favorite magazine Popular Mechanics. His favorite things in life included: his 4pm Manhattan (on the rocks), making breakfast for his wife and fried perch for family, watching Star Trek TV shows and James Bond movies, playing with his latest gadgets, and owning bright red cars that he would tag with his 'TOMATO' license plate. Robert is survived by his daughter, Linda (Ron, deceased) Wilson of Westerville, Ohio; son, Timothy (Sibel) Hiltabiddle of Savannah, Georgia; daughter, Lisa (Rocky) Paden of Silverthorne, Colorado; grandchildren, Kelly (Timothy) Tinghino of Bothell, Washington; and Patrick Paden of Denver, Colorado; great granddaughter, Madelyn Tinghino; step grandchildren, Sarabeth (Jared) Balzano of Gahanna, Ohio; Timothy Wilson of Westerville, Ohio; and Emily (Rhen) Daffin of Gahanna, Ohio; step great grandchildren, Jacob, Carsten and Naomi Ann-Marie Balzano; and Eden and Odin Daffin. He was preceded in death by his wife of 66 years, Marilou, his parents Earl M. and Helen (Wilson) Hiltabiddle, and his brother John P. Hiltabiddle of Woodland Hills, CA. A celebration of life service for Bob & Marilou will be held this spring Saturday, March 26, 2022 at 1pm at First United Methodist Church, Elyria. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to First United Methodist Church, Elyria, or The Cleveland Orchestra in his memory. Arrangements are in the care of Dicken Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Elyria. For online condolences, visit www.dickenfuneralhome.com.