Donald Hillson

CHARLES CITY, Iowa - Donald Hillson, 80, of Charles City, died Thursday, January 3, 2008, at Mercy Medical Center in Mason City.

A funeral Mass for Donald Hillson will be held 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, January 9, 2008, at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. Reverend Carl Ries, pastor, will celebrate the Mass. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery at Charles City.

Friends may call at the Hauser Funeral Home in Charles City from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday where there will be a Vigil Scriptural Wake Service at 7 p.m. followed a Rosary led by the Knights of Columbus. Visitation will continue Wednesday at the church an hour prior to the Mass.

Donald George Hillson was born November 12, 1927, in Blooming Prairie, Minn., the son of George and Adelia (Baumgartner) Hillson. He attended country schools and graduated from the Blooming Prairie High School. On June 3, 1948, he was united in marriage to Anies DeMets at Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Austin, Minn. They moved to Charles City in January of 1949. Don worked in various supervisory capacities for the Oliver/White Farm Equipment Company from 1948-1988. After his retirement Don supervised the building of the „Spirit of Oliver‰ tractor built in Cold Water, Ohio in 1988 and also was involved in consulting for various companies.  Don was a member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus 1409 where he was a third degree knight and the Oliver/White Farm Equipment Management Club. He and Anies loved to fish, spending summer vacations from 1967-2001 at Lake Kabetogama in northern Minnesota. Don‚s number one priority, however, was his family. He will always be remembered as a devoted and loving husband, father and grandfather.

Living family members include his wife, Anies Hillson of Charles City; four children, Tom (Glenda) Hillson of Ames, Steve (Joan) Hillson of Owasso, Okla., David (Cynthia) Hillson of Mooresville, N.C. and Denise (Steve) Long of Alameda, Calif.; 9 grandchildren, Tom (Maggie) Hillson, Angela, Elizabeth, Jonathan, Katie, Kristin, Hannah and Abbey Hillson and Max Long; a great grandson, Chance Hillson; and a sister, Elaine (Tom) Trotman of Blooming Prairie, Minn.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Duane and Derwin Hillson; and a sister, Evelyn Muhlbauer.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to the Immaculate Conception School, 1203 Clark Street, Charles City, IA 50616.

The Hauser Funeral Home, (641) 228-2323, www.hauserfh.com, in Charles City, is in charge of arrangements.