Obituaries : Margaret Hilmer

Margaret Hilmer

VINTON – Margaret Winifred Hilmer, 72, died Thursday, June 4, 2015, at her home in Vinton due to cancer.
Visitation will be held from 10:30 a.m. until noon on Monday, June 8, 2015, at the Vinton Presbyterian Church. A Celebration of Life service will immediately follow at the church at 12 noon with Rev. Jessica Crane-Munoz officiating. Graveside services will then follow at Westview Cemetery in La Porte City at 2:30 p.m.
Margaret was born September 23, 1942, in Leicester, England, the daughter of Cecil and Winifred Bates Iliffe. She attended public school in England.
On February 10, 1962, Margaret was united in marriage with Gary Hilmer in Leicester. The two met while Gary was stationed in England during his military service. They returned to the States and made their home in Vinton. They were members of the Vinton Presbyterian Church.
Margaret was primarily a homemaker, but she also worked at the Viking Sewing Center, the Vinton Lutheran Home, had in-home daycare, and she and Gary cleaned for the Vinton Presbyterian Church. She was also a houseparent at the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School.
Margaret enjoyed cooking and baking, painting, cross-stitch, flower gardening, English chocolate and talking on the telephone. She loved the ocean and mountains, making trips to Colorado and also traveling to Hawaii to celebrate 40 years of marriage with Gary. Her greatest joy was spending time with her family, whether that was traveling with them to England, hosting her parents from England during a 7-week visit, or taking her grandchildren to the pool. She was wonderfully smart and funny and will be deeply missed by her family.
Margaret is survived by her husband of 53 years, Gary Hilmer, of Vinton; one son, Andy (Sharon) Hilmer of LaGrange, KY; three daughters: Becky (Brad) Stainbrook of Vinton; Sharon (Chad) Fleming of Geneva, IL; and Deborah (Jeff) Obermeyer of Henderson, CO; six brothers: Bob, Barry, Vince, Paul, Vic and Tony Iliffe; two sisters: Sandra Webb and Chris Pierce; 11 grandchildren: Emily and Benjamin Turner, Alexandrea and Nicholas Hilmer, Benjamin, Bethany and Brian Stainbrook, Haley and Somer Anderson, Shiley Christopher (Rachel) Obermeyer and Allyson (Matt) Weitzel; and 3.7 great-grandchildren: Ainsley and Nolah Obermeyer and Madison Weitzel, who will soon be joined by her little sister, Moira.
She was preceded in death by her parents and six siblings.
Memorial contributions may be directed to the American Cancer Society or the Vinton Presbyterian Church.
Van Steenhuyse-Russell Funeral Home of Vinton is caring for Margaret and her family. Condolences may be left at vsrfh.com.