DeWitt Bradbury Hild

Mr. DeWitt (De) Bradbury Hild, age 92, of Eagles Mere, PA, and formerly of Towanda, PA, passed away on Friday, October 12, 2018 at his home with his loving family at his side.

    DeWitt was born on March 2, 1926 in Philadelphia, PA, a son of the late Howard Clinton Hild and Ella Roland Hicks Hild.

    He attended Olney High School in Philadelphia, PA and went on to attend Elmira College, in Elmira, NY.  His family moved to Sullivan County in 1946. On October 3, 1953 he married the former Ruth Marie Park of Eagles Mere, PA, whom he met while performing in a small 1940’s-style dance band in Eagles Mere. After moving to Towanda to raise his family, he became a long-term volunteer for the Cub Scouts, the Boy Scouts and the Towanda Little League. In a pattern he would frequently repeat, De became President of the Little League and served as Cubmaster and on the Board of Directors for the Boy Scouts.

He then discovered the American Red Cross, where he spent 43 years as a dedicated volunteer, starting as a Water Safety Instructor (WSI) teaching lifesaving classes, but soon branching out to teach CPR, First Aid, and even sailing and canoeing. For years he was one of only two Red Cross Instructor Trainers (IT’s) - a highly trained instructor who is qualified to teach other instructors - teaching new Water Safety Instructors, in the entire northern section of Pennsylvania. In addition to teaching swimming, lifeguarding and other Red Cross classes, De started the competitive swimming program at the Towanda Middle School, the Aqua Ducks, and was its first coach. He also managed the Towanda High School after-school Red Cross and swimming programs for many years, earning the Red Cross Lifetime Achievement Award for 43 years of service. He augmented his coaching experience by becoming a PIAA swim official, where he officiated at high school and college meets for 35 years, culminating in 1997 when he was the head referee for the Pennsylvania High School State Championship swim meet in State College.

In addition to his Red Cross volunteering, De was a Towanda Borough Councilman for 9 years, and followed that by being elected and serving as the Towanda Borough Mayor for 12 years. In 1989, he received the Pennsylvania Borough Association Thomas F. Chrostwaite Award for 20 years service to the borough.

After working for 30 years as a Senior Spectrographic Technician at GTE Sylvania in Towanda, now known as GTP Corp., De retired in 1988. He and his wife Ruth moved from Towanda to Eagles Mere in 1998.

    He was a member of the Eagles Mere Community Church, Eagles Mere, and was also a very involved member and Master of the Union Lodge No. 108 F. & A. Masons, Towanda. A life-long pianist, organist, and piano teacher, he was the Eagles Mere Community Church pianist for more than 15 years.

Surviving:

Spouse:

Ruth Marie Park Hild                at home in Eagles Mere, PA

Four sons:

Wayne DeWitt Hild                    Colfax, CA

Bruce Elwood Hild                    Nevada City, CA

Gary Lee (Elaine) Hild                Scottsboro, AL

Scott Park (Emy) Hild                Guiguinto Bulacan, Philippines

Daughter:

Beverly Jean (Kenneth) Nuttle            Williamsport, PA

Sisters-in-law:

Doris Roby                        Sayre, PA

Gwenllian (John) Klus                Laporte, PA

    DeWitt is also survived by 13 grandchildren:  Megan Nuttle Kahlich, Marie Lascano Hild, Amanda Hild, Laura Hild, Kalli Hild, Mackenzie Hild, Flannery Hild, Keaton Hild, Paul Nuttle, Troy Nuttle, Camden Nuttle, Michael Hild and Gregory Hild;  ten great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

    He was predeceased by a grandson, Ian Hild, and by three brothers: Howard C. Hild, Jr., Edward Hild, and Theodore Hild. Also by five sisters: Ella Gittens, Edna Spaeth, Martha Weigand, Laura Sheerer, and Amy Macknauskas.

    A Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, October 20th at the Eagles Mere Community Church at 11:00 A.M., with the Reverend Dennis Zimmerman, pastor, officiating. Interment will be in Eagles Mere Cemetery, Eagles Mere, PA. A reception will be held after the funeral service at the Eagles Mere Community Hall.

    Friends and family may call on Ruth and family at the P. Dean Homer Funeral Home, 206 Water St., Dushore, PA., on Friday, October 19th, from 3 to 5 pm.

    In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to the American Red Cross, Bradford-Sullivan Counties Chapter, 800 S. Main St., Towanda, PA 18848.

    Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the P. Dean Homer Funeral Home, 206 Water St., Dushore, PA.

    To send condolences or sign the e-guestbook, please go to www.homerfuneralhome.com