John (Jack) Hilber

Edward John (Jack) Hilber Edward John (Jack) Hilber, 91, of Fargo, died March 19, 2005, at Manor Care in Fargo. He was born July 2, 1913, in St. Paul, MN. He graduated from Fargo Central High School and attended North Dakota State University. He worked for Bell Telephone through its various regional name changes from 1935 until retiring from Northwestern Bell in 1975. He retired as Assistant Plant Supervisor in Fargo. During his long career he held many supervisory positions including North Dakota Area Toll Service Supervisor. On May 28, 1938, Jack married Clarissa Genevieve Lucier at St. Mary?s Cathedral in Fargo. They lived in Fargo, LaMoure, Oakes and Grand Forks, N.D. They helped start the St. Vincent de Paul Society in Fargo, and were active members of St. Anthony?s Parish there from 1956 to 1975. After his retirement they moved near Pelican Rapids, MN, where they operated Blue Candle Haven Organic Farm. They also operated a natural food store in Pelican Rapids. Finally they bought a farm near Lake Lida and created Lida Greens Golf Course in 1981, now operated by son Joseph and his wife Nancy. Jack was preceded in death by his wife, Clarissa, one daughter, Patricia, two brothers, Richard and Robert of Fargo, and two sisters, Beatrice Tschida of Tucson, AZ, and GertrudeAnderson of Fargo. He is survived by children, Joseph (Nancy) Hilber of Pelican Rapids, Mary Jo Jennings of Fresno, CA, Anne (Albert) Nephew of Duluth, MN, Thomas (Cheryl) Hilber of St. Paul, Tony (Martha) Hilber of Denver, CO, Bernard (Stephanie) Hilber of Strathmore, CA, Richard (Barbara) of Minneapolis, Eva (Gene) Kelly of Fargo, Theresa Hilber of Vadnais Hts., MN, Marguerite (Peter) Mielke of Stillwater, MN Judith (Duane) Roman of Osceola, Wis., and Donna Olson Hilber of Newhall, CA; 27 grandchildren and 33 great grandchildren; one brother, Burt (Mitzy) of Fargo, and one sister, Betty Lou Sobers of Simi Valley, CA, and many nephews, nieces and cousins. Although he was well-known as a softball pitcher and hockey player in his youth, Jack?s great sports love was golf. He won or was runner-up in many amateur golf tournaments, helped establish a public golf course at Oakes, N.D., promoted amateur tournaments at public golf courses such as Edgewood in Fargo, volunteered as a golf teacher for youth for many years, and was inducted into the North Dakota Golf Hall of Fame in 1973. Jack was the top amateur golfer for Fargo Central High School golf team in all of his years there. He was a participant in the North Dakota State Amateur Golf Tournament from 1931-1972 where he placed second three times: 1932, 1933, and 1941. In 1935 he was golf pro for a year at the Bois De Sioux course in Wahpeton, ND. After that he went back to being an amateur and then represented North Dakota at National Public Links Golf Tournaments. In 1957 he captured the state medalist title with a 69, a record at the time. Between 1932 and 1954 he won club championships at Fargo (Fargo Country Club and Edgewood), LaMoure, Oakes and Grand Forks Lincoln Park. He was president of golf clubs at LaMoure, Oakes, Lincoln Park (Grand Forks) and three terms at Edgewood (Fargo). One of his most enjoyable off-the-course activities was volunteer teaching at the YWCA where he tutored 160 women golfers in four years. Jack was very active in the various parishes in which he and Clarissa were members, more recently St. Anthony?s in Fargo and St. Leonard?s in Pelican Rapids. He served as president of the Fargo Diocese Cursillo. Jack was active in the Knights of Columbus. He was former Grand Knight of the Fargo Chapter and was State General Program Chairman, 1963-65. In 1967 Jack finally won the annual Knights of Columbus Golf Tournament in Fargo after coming in second many times. He was quoted in the press saying he was happy to have finally won ?after trying since the Hoover Administration.? Jack was active in civic affairs. He took a leadership role in the 1960s in an unsuccessful effort to change the form of Fargo city government to the mayor-council form. He headed the successful fund drive for the St. John?s Hospital in the 1960s. In Pelican Rapids he was the Director of Civil Defense. Special thanks to Hospice of the Red River Valley, his brother Bert Hilber and his dedicated and caring staff at Manor Care. Memorials preferred to Right to Life Fargo and St Vincent DePaul Society.