Earl Laverne Hilton

Earl L. Hilton, age 87, passed away peacefully on Oct. 19, 2009 in Spokane after a long struggle with Parkinson's disease. He was born Aug. 9, 1922 in Washtucna, Wash. Earl came to Rocky Pine Ranch near Cheney as a 10-year-old child with his parents Clarence and Lura Hilton.

Earl attended Cheney High School where he was active in Future Farmers of America. On the stock judging team, he won many awards. After one year at EWSC, he left college to work as a machinist in his uncle's shop in Seattle making ship parts for the war effort.

Earl married Ernestine McMillan, his childhood sweetheart, in 1942 and they celebrated their 67th anniversary in September. Shortly after his wedding, Earl was called to serve in the army. As a member of the 20th Tank Division he served under Gen. Patton in the Battle of the Bulge and the liberation of Dachau.

Returning to the ranch after the war, Earl worked with his father on the dairy farm. Later he developed a fine herd of beef cattle. In 1955, Earl became a rural mail carrier for Route 3, Cheney, where he served for 29 years. In addition to farming and working as a mail carrier, in 1967 Earl established Hilton Real Estate in Cheney. As busy as Earl was, he found time to build his family a new house, incorporating many innovative ideas into its structure. By 1988 he had retired from all three jobs. He never forgot his many friends and shared time with them. With his war buddy, Fremont Stewart, he enjoyed fishing the streams of Montana and restoring an old Ford tractor. He also enjoyed RV travel and fishing with friends Carol and Bob Eastland. Earl was a longtime member of the Spokane Elks Club, the Newport Elks Club, and the National Rural Letter Carriers' Association.

Earl and his wife Erny visited all 50 states and traveled to England and Scotland. They also enjoyed such adventures as retracing the Oregon Trail and traveling for genealogical research. For their fiftieth wedding anniversary, Earl bought a condo on the Oregon Coast where they spent most of their retirement life.

Earl was preceded in death by his son, Earl Jr., and his parents Clarence and Lura Hilton. He is survived by his wife, Ernestine, daughter Nancy Hilton, sons Richard (Mary) and Jerry (Gail) Hilton, six grandchildren; Earl III (Maria), Lance (Janet) Odell, Shawn (Elizabeth) Odell, Erin Hilton, Daniel (Keri) Hilton, and Alison Hilton and 11 great-grandchildren; Henry, Peter, David Hilton, Brenden, Kiegan, Bradey Odell, Tyler and Jackson Odell, Calvin and Samuel Hilton, and Emma Hilton.

A memorial service will be held Nov. 14 at 2 p.m. in the United Church of Christ, 423 N. Sixth St. Cheney, with Rev. Debi Hasdorff officiating.

Earl never gave up hope that a cure for Parkinson's would be found in his lifetime. Memorial donations may be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, P.O. Box 780, New York, NY 10008, http://www.michaeljfox.org.

 

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