Tributes

Donald (don't call him Donald, call him Don) Clair Hildebrand was born on February 27, 1932 to Frank Hildebrand and Irma Laumeister. A third generation Oregonian, he helped his parents and grandparents run the Hildebrand Furniture store in Astoria, Oregon where the building still stands today. While his father ran the business in later years, Don moved with his mother to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho to tend to 360 acres of lakefront property his grandfather won for 25 cents in a local contest. The area was later named Laumeister Bay directly across the lake from Harrison. After graduating high school and attending North Idaho College he served in the United States Navy as an Air Intelligence Officer from 1953-1956. He was honorably discharged and finished his degree at Washington State University in Biology. Don earned his PhD in Plant Pathology at the University of California at Berkeley where he remained as an associate researcher and leading taxonomist until his retirement in 1990. As a gift to his alma mater he created the Hildebrand-Laumeister Chair in Plant Pathology to grant scholarships to future science majors. He considers finding a cure for cancer in plants to be the highlight of his career. He moved to Sisters, Oregon in 1992 and remained there until he passed. The only dance he knew was The Hustle and he loved a full bodied Cabernet or Manhattan as much as his berries with sugar and heavy cream every morning. His mottos were Why Worry Until it's Time to Worry, Save the Pennies So You Can Spend the Dollars, and Everything in Moderation. Don collected Western Art for over 50 years, amassed one of the finest collections in the United States, and restored frames and canvases as a hobby. An avid half marathon and trail runner, he was a member of the Lake Merritt Runners and Striders and USATF where he won numerous awards in his age group as well as the Xterra Championships. He ran his final race on September 18, 2021 with a time of 89 years, 6 months and 22 days. Don is survived by his daughters Karin Hildebrand Lau, Katie Hildebrand, and Laynie Hildebrand, grandchildren Chantel and Daniel Lau and Cameron and Avery O'Connor, as well as great grandchildren Zada and Brooks Lau. Per his request his ashes will be scattered over the Three Sisters Mountains and in Jackson Hole, Wyoming at a later date. No service will be held.

Tributes

Donald (Don) Clair Hildebrand

February 27, 1932 - September 18, 2021