St. George, Utah – Dr. Robert James "Dr. Bob" Hildebrand, D.D.S. passed away peacefully in his sleep Saturday, January 9, 2016 at his residence at the Southern Utah Veteran's Home in Ivins, Utah. He was 97 years old.

Bob was born November 5, 1918 in Salt Lake City, Utah to Dr. Gustav J. Hildebrand, M.D. and Josephine Annette Phalen, both of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, while Gustav was serving a brief military assignment in Salt Lake City. Shortly after Bob's birth, the family returned to Sheboygan, Wisconsin where Bob, his brother, Dr. James Fredrick Hikdebrand, M.D. (deceased) and sister, Lois Annette Hikdebrand, R.N. (deceased) enjoyed a happy upbringing.

Bob graduated from Sheboygan Central High in 1936, attended Pre-Med school at Ripon College in Ripon, Wisconsin and transferred in 1938 to the Marquette University School of Dentistry in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, completing his Dental degree in 1942.  (Bob was the last of his dental school classmates to pass away.)

In 1942, Bob received a prestegious Fellowship at the University of Rochester, N.Y. by invitation of reknowned Physiology Professor, Dr. Harold Hodge, Phd. at the University of Rochester Medical School Dept. of Physiology and Chemisty. Bob researched the dental effects of Fluoride and was the key proponant and inspiration to his father, Dr Gus, whom at the time was the Sheboygan City Health Comissioner, to appeal to then Mayor Dr. Willard Sonnenberg to be the very first to introduce fluoridation into the community water supply to help quel the tooth decay that plagued humankind. That was sucessfully done in 1942, as a now historical event.

Immediately after completing that process, Bob walked into a Military recruitment office in Rochester, N.Y., signed up and spent the night traveling by train to his first assignment as a dentist for the U.S. Army Air Corp.  He served at state-side Military Air Bases working 24-7 shifts with  little food or sleep to ensure every Airman deployed wouldn't suffer toothaches in the field.

Bob and fellow Air Corp. dentists also spent 24-7 shifts identifying the remains of thousands of dead, before return to the correct families for burial – for which they felt a strongly reverent sense of responsibility.

Though released from duty in 1947 as a Major, Bob was known as "Captain Hildebrand" and "Dr. Bob" throughout his service.  Bob had also done WWII dental work for many war-time journalists and soldiers with post-WWII connections to Hollywood and was surprised and flattered to find himself charactorized nearly 40 years later in two episodes of the popular 1980's T.V. show "M.A.S.H." – as per "Nurse Hoolihan's description of the tall, handsome, and gentlemanly visiting military dentist "Dr. Bob'/ "Captain Hildebrand" (though he had not served in the Korean War.)

Bob married his civilian dental assistant and precious life companion, Barbara Mae Josephson on April 30, 1945 in the Las Vegas Army Air Corps Base Chapel.  Barbara was the daughter of Ephraim L. Josephson and Thelma A. Madsen of Las Vegas, Nevada.

After WWII, Bob and Barbara moved to his beloved Sheboygan, Wisconsin, where Bob was a well-known  dentist, artist, outdoors enthusiast and humanitarian; serving family, friends, and community in carious service-oriented capacities.

Bob and Barbara raised their four children: J.R., Gary, Mark and Joyce in Sheboygan and valued every minute there for 52 years with many loved ones and treasured friendships, before moving to be closer to family in Redmont, Oregon in 1998. In 2007 Bob and Barbara joined daughter, Joyce, in moving to a favorite family vacation area in the "High Desert" sunchine of St. George, Utah, where Barbars's sister, Dorothy Taylor and family had been residents for many years.

Bob and Barbara enjoyed every multi-seasonal outdoor activity together, and with their family, many friends, and loved ones.  Ice skating skiing, golfing, hiking, picnicking, swimming at the local beaches, and camping all across the country, were favorite family activities, until Bob turned 80 and decided, "just daily hiking easy trails had to be enough."  Every family excursion included "sing-alongs" of favorite songs around the campfires, and in the car; right up to Bob and Joyce's last drive 4 days before his passing.  Bob loved to sing!

Bob was a self-taught artist, and well known throughout the Wisconsin Art community.  His dental patients enjoyed the display of oil paintings of Wisconsin landscapes that Barbara kept in constant seasonal rotation on the walls of Bob's spacious dental office. Bob had continued his oil painting artistry at the Vetrain's Home right up to his last week.

Bob believed "The Golden Rule:, and genuinely lived it with integrity each day of his 97 years, with a cheerful countenance, kind gentlemanly demeanor, and sweetly generous heart.  It is Bob's wonderful legacy that his kind presence has been the "light" and "delight" of any room  he entered all the days of his life.  He will be greatly missed by the 4 children; 10 grandchildren; and 20 great-grandchildren, of whom he cast that bright and beautiful light.

Bob's last year, and last days were surrounded by many friendships among the residents and amazingly wonderful staff at the Southern Utah Vetrain's Home, whom he thoughtly enjoyed and appreciated.  Of course, Bob also really enjoyed the weekly "sing-alongs" at Southern Utah Vetrain's Home.

In lieu of a service, Bob requested that one of his most recent paintings of a flying American Bald Eagle be presented to the Southern Utah Vertrain's Home during one of his favoire "sing-alongs" there.

A Flag Presentation ceremony, presentation of the painting and sing-along will be scheduled in Bob's honor on Monday, January 25, 2016 at 1:30 p.m. in the large mulipurpose room in the Southern Utah Vetrain's Home, located at 160 North 200 East, Ivins, Utah.

Many Thanks to Southern Utah Vetrain's Administration, Journey of Hope Hospice, Metcalf Mortuary and the Local Chapters of the American Legion.