Mr. Eugene Peter Hildman

Gene Peter Hildman, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend, passed away peacefully on Monday, the 19th of February 2024, at the age of 81 after a courageous three-year battle with cancer.

Gene was a devout Christian who cherished his Catholic faith, his family and most of all his beloved wife of 57 years, Carmen. Born in Algona, Iowa on the 30th of July 1942 as the oldest of 7 children, Gene developed a remarkably strong work ethic at a very young age as he helped his father on the family’s dairy farm. This work ethic became the foundation on which he built his life. After graduating from Bishop Garrigan High School in Algona, IA, he joined the Army where he served as a Chaplain’s Assistant at Ft. Hood, TX. Following his military service, Gene met and later married the love of his life, Carmen Prado, during which time both worked at a Waco, TX retirement community. After the birth of their daughter, Jennifer, and while a student at Baylor University, Gene received a job offer he couldn’t refuse, which relocated the family to Temple, TX. It was here they made many lifelong friends, and Gene spent the next 15 years as the Chief Engineer at Scott & White Hospital. During this time, Gene and Carmen also launched a nursery, landscaping and floral business. In 1988, Gene joined HealthTrust/HCA Healthcare, and the family relocated to Arlington, TX. After 30+ years as a hospital engineer, he retired in 2007 from Triad Hospitals. Not one to sit around for long, he soon started a healthcare consulting business, which took him on travel adventures to South Africa, Ireland and Alaska. Gene was also actively involved in industry organizations throughout his career, serving as past president of the Texas Hospital Association and achieving the designation of Fellow with the American Society of Hospital Engineers (ASHE).

Gene lived out his Catholic faith with a servant’s heart. As a founding member of the Knights of Columbus at St. Luke’s Catholic Church in Temple, TX, he served as the council’s first Grand Knight. He was also a member of the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher, which assists Christians living in the Holy Land and the Serra Club of Arlington Metro, which promotes vocations to the Catholic priesthood.

Known for so many affable qualities, Gene loved being a Texan. He often joked that “I wasn’t born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could!”. He never met a stranger and had a way of making every person he came in contact with feel special and important. He was well respected as a leader and expert in his industry, served as a mentor to many, and always showed a genuine interest in people’s personal lives outside of the work setting. To know him was to love him.

Many fun memories were made at the family’s lake cabin along the Pedernales River near Austin, TX, where Gene taught countless friends and family to water ski over the years. He was incredibly patient and encouraging and took great joy watching each new skier finally get up on the water or bouncing them off the tube amid big waves. If you ever tasted Gene’s legendary barbeque, you would know he was quite the pitmaster. He was also famous for making the world’s best peanut brittle every year at Christmas time, gifting it to friends, family and colleagues. He passed along this craft and his secret recipe to his granddaughter, Audrey, who was inspired to launch her own peanut brittle business to carry on his legacy. Some of Gene’s favorite pastimes also included attending his grandchildren’s countless sporting events and dance recitals, traveling with his wife, playing cards with family and maintaining an immaculate yard, growing the most beautiful flowers and plants in the neighborhood. Nathan Dains, a close family friend who was like a son to Gene & Carmen, enjoyed fishing with his “Dad”, always debating who was the better fisherman.

Gene was preceded in death by his parents, John Hildman and Florence Hilbert Hildman; and his sister, Roseanne Hildman Hernandez. He is survived by his beloved wife, Carmen Prado Hildman; his daughter, Jennifer Hildman Fitzgerald (Brian); his grandchildren, Blake and Audrey Fitzgerald; brothers Frank Hildman (Vicky) and Paul Hildman (Lois); sisters Mary Hildman, Esther Hildman Nece (Jay) and Dorie Hildman Waldschmidt (Dave); and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family would like to send a heartfelt thank you to the many friends who have offered prayers of love and support throughout Gene’s battle with cancer. We also extend our eternal gratitude to his caregivers at Green Oaks Nursing & Rehab for their dignified and compassionate love and care during his final weeks in hospice. Gene will be sorely missed, but his family takes comfort knowing that he is now in the arms of his Heavenly Father for eternity and that we will one day be joyfully reunited with him.

Funeral Services for Gene are as follows:
Visitation/Rosary – Friday, March 1, 5:00-8:00pm
Wade Funeral Home, 4140 W. Pioneer Pkwy, Arlington, TX 76013

Funeral Mass – Saturday March 2, 1:00pm
St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church, 1200 S. Davis Dr., Arlington, TX 76013

Burial – Tuesday, March 5, 10:00am
DFW National Cemetery, 2000 Mountain Creek Pkwy, Dallas, TX 75211

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Gene’s name may be directed to Serra Club of Arlington Metro, Attn: Leslie Purcell, 3015 Wintersmith Dr., Arlington, TX 76014
Please visit Gene’s online guestbook at www.WadeFuneralHome.com where fond memories and words of comfort may be shared electronically with his family.