Richard Hillard

ONE NOTE BEFORE WE BEGIN: PLEASE DO NOT SEND FLOWERS. MEMORIALS ARE PREFERRED TO THE LEWY BODY DEMENTIA ASSOCIATION.

https://www.lbda.org or St. Croix Hospice https://www.stcroixhospice.com.

Our Husband, Father, and Grandfather has stated he did not want anyone to be maudlin, but it is with deep sadness that we announce the death of Richard Dean Hillard on September 18th, 2023.

In the words of every Christmas Letter since 1988, this tribute to Rick’s life will not be overly long. (As if he ever kept to that promise!) We all believe that even the longest Christmas letter of the 20 plus he wrote would not be long enough to remind you that he was the cleverest, most sarcastic, music loving, wine and beer making, wood working, master of ceremonies and the life of the party, never-ending fount of knowledge, a purveyor of smiles and laughter, and in his words, an “incorrigible” guy who was deeply loved (or at least, deeply admired.)

More than anything, we want to pay tribute to him as the supportive, loving, and generous person we all knew him to be. We are all better for having had him in our lives.

Rick was born in St Paul on August 3, 1945, at 12:45AM. Family legend has it that Dr. J Swendson had a bit too much of the tipple that night and recorded the birthdate one day late. His father, Harold Emmett Hillard had much to say about that as Rick was growing up, but his mother Marcella (Malenfant) Hillard was just happy to have another child to entertain her older son Roger.

Rick attended St Paul Central High School and later the University of Minnesota. Failing at his first attempt at higher education, Rick served in the Naval Reserves until his life came into focus and he married Patricia Ann (Pederson) in 1967. Realizing at that point he should get a degree and a job to support his soon-growing family, Rick graduated from the University of Wisconsin River Falls with a BS in Geology. He and Pat had two Minnesotan children before moving to Waverly, Iowa for a job in instant milk at Carnation Company which did not involve rocks or tectonic plates. Rick and Pat welcomed two more children after the move to Iowa and lived happily in the small town, until the death of Pat from cancer in December of 2000.

Over the next years, Rick bought himself a Corvette, retired from Carnation, now Nestle, and moved to the home he had been building since 1991 on Turtle Lake in Deerwood Minnesota. Around this time, he took up a career in real estate and had many happy clients in the Deerwood area and beyond, as well as in the Twin Cities. A highlight of this period was his photo on a 20-foot-tall billboard along Highway 169.

In 2007’s Christmas letter, Chapter 17, Rick met Brenda Kosel. The friend who set them up thought they would be perfect together because Brenda had a great sense of humor. Any woman he would date would need it. The blind date and a gift of that year’s Christmas letter left Brenda with the question, “Was Rick fun or should I run?” Many months of laughter followed and then, in his words, “She came for dinner and never left.” They married at the lake home in 2009. Rick and Brenda spent many happy years together, working on lake projects, golfing (Rick poorly), adventures close to home and abroad, expanding and sharing circles of friends, and entertaining their grandchildren.

Preceding Richard in death are his parents, his brother, and first wife Patricia.

Rick leaves behind his wife Brenda Hillard, his four children, Shannon Niemeyer and partner Paul Sabol, Elizabeth and husband Noel Grover, Johanna Hillard, and Richard and wife Katie Hillard as well as Brenda’s children Joseph, Andrea, and Joshua Dalzell. Already missing Rick are his grandchildren Morgan, Mike, Joey, Ricky, Henry, Annika, Chloe, Jasmine, Kinsely Jo, and Camden. And Ember “Emmy” Lee, the mini golden doodle.

" I’m really not looking forward to getting so old that the biggest question of the day when going to the restroom is, “Am I here for #1 or #2?” Or when the high point of the day is remembering something.”

Rick wrote that in 1993. His death was caused by the cruel disease Lewy Body Dementia. His family and friends watched this amazing man go through the slow progression of LBD since his diagnosis six years ago and some years leading up to that date. He never lost his sense of humor and always knew who we were. We watched the slow and painful deterioration of his brain and body with pain in our hearts all the time knowing the pain of his experience was far deeper than any of us could imagine. There was no greater witness to Rick’s pain than Brenda and for the love and care she gave to him, we all owe her more than just thank you. We owe our love and support in the coming weeks and years.

Brenda and Rick were significantly aided by Home Instead and St Croix Hospice. We appreciate the skilled and generous care that these worthwhile organizations supplied during this time.

Please don’t send flowers. Educate yourself on LBD and support research on the terminal disease that does not so far have a cure or effective treatment.

Memorials are preferred to the Lewy Body Dementia Association https://www.lbda.org or St. Croix Hospice https://www.stcroixhospice.com.

While we will miss him and we would like to keep him around, but as Rick would say he really wouldn’t look so good.

We leave you with one more thought from Rick:

If everyone lived forever, can you imagine the lines at the Target checkouts?

A celebration of life will be held on Thursday, September 28th from 1 to 4PM at the Lonesome Pine in Deerwood, Minnesota.