Norman Hilburn, Sr.

Norman Lee Hilburn, Sr., 82, of Kerrville, TX entered into rest April 8, 2004 at a local hospital.Mr. Hilburn was born February 11, 1922 in Fort Worth, TX to Harry Homer Hilburn and Beatrice Bea Spriegel Hilburn. He has one brother, Harry Hank Hilburn, Jr., and two children Susan Gaye Hilburn Cullison and Norman Lee Hilburn Jr., and six grandchildren, Kasie Hilburn, Keri Hilburn, Nathan Hilburn, Julie Anderson, Jeff Anderson, and Courtney Cullison and one greatgranddaughter, Abigail Beatrice Hilburn. Susan was born to his marriage with Marie Boudreaux and Norman Jr. was born to his marriage with Dorothy Rains. He married Ida Bell Stelzer in August 1984 and she preceded him in death in June of 1989. He and Dorothy Neal Lewis had a close loving relationship since 1991.Norman, his brother and parents followed the oil patch moving to Oklahoma City, Seminole, OK, West Texas, and Aransas Pass. In 1937 they moved to Kerrville and bought the Busy Bee Caf on Main Street. Later Bea Hilburn opened the ModeODay dress shop on Water Street. Norman and his brother graduated from Tivy in 1940 and joined the Navy in 1941. Norman was sent to boot camp and sonar school for submarine detection in San Diego, CA and then to San Francisco to join a new construction salvage ship. He also served in Pearl Harbor, the South Pacific, Solomon Islands and Noumea for salvage works. Norman was nominated by his commanding officer to return to the states for college at Southwestern University, TX and then to the University of Notre Dame for officer training. He received a commission of Ensign was assigned to advanced line officer school, then served in the Panama Canal Zone, Balboa, Pacific side. After the war, he brought his ship back to Charleston, South Carolina and received his discharge in the last days of 1945. He settled in Corpus Christi, TX until 1955 and came back to Kerrville. He was the General Manager of Schreiner Ford Center, which became Stoepels LincolnMercury where he was a sales manager. He moved to the YO Ranch and then back to Kerrville for real estate and insurance business. Norman was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Kerrville Masonic Lodge 697, endowed member, Alzafar Shrine Temple and past president of the Hill Country Shrine Club.Funeral services will be 2:00 Monday, April 12, 2004 at the Kerrville Funeral Home Chapel with Duane Stodder officiating. Interment with military honors will be 1:45 Tuesday, April 13, 2004 at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. ation will be Sunday, April 11, 2004 from 68:00PM at the Kerrville Funeral Home.

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