David Curtis Hilderbrand was born April 1, 1946 in California, MO, to Curtis Nathaniel Hilderbrand and Juanita Lefever Hilderbrand. He graduated from Stover High School in Stover, MO in 1963, earned his BS in Math at Southwest Baptist College in Bolivar, MO in 1967, and earned his MS and Ph.D. in Chemistry at the University of Missouri in Columbia, MO in 1969 and 1971, respectively. He married Julie Ann Vaughan on April 4, 1969 in Sedalia, MO, and together they had two sons, Grant in 1971 and Lucas in 1975. He lived in Brookings, SD 1974-94 and in Sioux Falls, SD 1994-2020.
He built his career at South Dakota State University from 1974 to 2015, working in various capacities, including as Professor and Department Head of Chemistry, Director of International Programs, Director of SDSU programs at the University Center in Sioux Falls, Dean of the Graduate School, Interim Dean of Education and Human Sciences, Interim Dean of Arts and Sciences, and Department Head of Economics. He taught Sunday School and Bible study for decades at Bethel Baptist Church in Brookings and at First Baptist Church in Sioux Falls, was an active teacher and Founding Board Member of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) program in Sioux Falls, the Director of the Nordland Heritage Foundation in Sioux Falls, and a volunteer at the Sertoma Park Butterfly House. He loved international travel and road trips with his wife, attending Jacks games and Prairie Repertory Theater, and making jokes and teasing loved ones and new acquaintances alike. In 2019, he was bestowed the Life Service Award from Southwest Baptist University.
He died of natural causes on February 24, 2020 surrounded by his family. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, son, and brother and a dedicated teacher and mentor. He is survived by his wife Julie of Sioux Falls; his son Grant, daughter-in-law Katia Pronzati, and his grandchildren Zoey, Jonah, and Mila of Anchorage, AK; his son Lucas of Los Angeles, CA; and his brother Ronald of Stover, MO.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the SDSU Foundation for the David Hilderbrand Scholarship in Chemistry, the First Baptist Church Building Fund, or the Nordland Heritage Foundation.
There will a visitation on Friday, February 28, 2020 from 5-7 at the Miller Southside Chapel, 7400 S. Minnesota Avenue (81st and Minnesota Avenue) in Sioux Falls and a memorial service at First Baptist Church in Sioux Falls on Saturday, February 29, 2020, at 1:30pm.
For online condolences, visit www.millerfh.com.
