Eighty Nine (89) Years of age. Stu (1) had Two (2) wives; Thirteen (13) children; Twenty Eight (28) Grandchildren; Fifteen (15) Great-Grandchildren and Two (2) Great-Grandchildren on the way: 1+2+13+28+15+2 = Sixty One (61) people in his family and I bet he knew and enjoyed each and ever single one of them. Eighty Nine Years on this earth…What a champion!
Stu died from mesotheolioma, from asbestos fibers in the lungs. A lawyer for his family called and asked questions related to where Stu had run into asbestos. I had no information for her.
Stu and I travelled to Johannesburg and stayed in The Carlton Hotel, at the time the tallest, highest building in all of Africa. While there we drank the local Liquor made from tangerines: Van Der Humm. The “Rusty Nail” is an alcoholic drink of Drambuie and Scotch which was to become my all time favorite mixed drink and then on to Capetown. Even though it was about 50 years ago, probably around 1976, a few of the memories from South Africa are still sharp and clear. The Lord Nelson Hotel in Capetown; Table Mountain; the rather small but highly capable WWII “Spitfire” fighter aircraft on a pedestal at a local automotive junk yard; the Southern Cross in the night time sky which is four stars that look more like a kite than a cross; eating mussells and drinking the local liquor made from tangerines called naartjes: Van Der Hum. South Africa was a place easy to fall in love with and we did.
At the time because of the office politics at Eaton YALE and TOWNE in Philadelphia we both thought this would be our last time in South Africa and that thought proved correct as the YALE company collapsed due to poor and inept management. At Yale I was The International Marketing Manager For South America, Africa and the Pacific and Stu was the Service Manager for Southern Africa. He reported to me and he told me years later that I was the best boss he ever had. Thank you Stu!
Stewart R. Hilton
Time and distance separated us and we just learned about the passing of dear Stuart.
Life was very kind to Stu despite some downhill moments. Stu was a happy pilgrim; always willing to travel, attend class and join family and friends at the drop of a hat. He had a boxfull of college diplomas and Certificates from the various courses he had completed. He was one of the happiest people in my memory.
It is most unfortunate that we cannot travel to Stu’s home in Hixon, Tennessee so this note will have to express our happiness in his life and our great sadness at his passing.
Goodbye to a unique and loved man.
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Stuart was born in Derby, England, on March 24, 1936, to Harold and Margaret Hilton, the youngest of their five children. He may have been named after Charles Edwart Stuart of Derby of the Jacobite uprising of 1745 who became a Romantic figure. … Maybe.. Also, the Stuart’s were hero’s and there is a monument to the Royal Stuarts in Saint Peters Basilica in Rome. Princess Diana had numerous lines of descent from the Stuart Kings.
He had a happy, simple childhood, despite World War II raging in Europe.
After finishing his primary schooling, he served a five-year apprenticeship with British Railways in Derby where he no doubt learned about CE Stuart. Following his apprenticeship, he joined the Union Castle Steamship Company as an engineering officer. Sailing around the coast of Africa sparked his interest in the continent, which would become the love of his life until the end. Always mesmerized by the sea, he joined the Merchant Navy and sailed to many interesting ports.
In 1966, Stuart and his first wife, Marian, immigrated to Canada, and in 1969, the company he worked for sent them to Puerto Rico. They had eight children together.
In 1975, he was transferred to Philadelphia, PA, where he traveled the world for 25 years.
In 1984, Stuart and Paula married and joined two families—his eight and Paula’s three. Later, they had twin boys together, making a total of 13 children.
In 1986, Stuart’s job moved them to Chattanooga, TN. In 1990, Stuart took a job teaching engineering at Chattanooga State, UTC, and ETSU. He also taught marketing at Bryan College. It was common for Stuart and Paula to be out when someone would come running up to say, “Mr. Hilton, do you remember me? I was in your class at…”
The importance of education was evident not only in his teaching but also in his love for being a lifelong learner. He earned a Bachelor of Engineering from Derby College, a Bachelor of Marketing at St. Joseph’s University, Divinity at Temple University, and a PhD of Engineering at UTC
Stuart lived a very full life, but his passion for the continent of Africa carried him through his retirement years all the way to Hixson Presbyterian Church, where he worked on the missions committee and sub-committee overseeing the church plant in Uganda with dear friend Agaba Emmanuel. Before his death, he was able to see the completion of the church building there, and through Stuart’s mentorship, “Emma” achieved ordination.
As Stuart always said, there is an old African saying: “You can take the man out of Africa, but you cannot take Africa out of the man.”
Stuart has been welcomed to Heaven by his family, who preceded him in death. Parents, Harold and Margaret Hilton. Stuart is survived by his siblings: Margaret (Emelyn), Kenneth (Isis), Gordon (Winn), Donald (Anne); his son, John Szekely. And many, many others
Stuart is survived by his wife of 41 years, Paula, as well as his 12 children: Five (5) girls and Seven (7) boys being: Jacqueline (Dwayne) Andreasen, Ian Hilton, Rachel Hilton, David (Meghan) Hilton, Andrew (Kristin) Hilton, Matt (Lindsay) Hilton, Adrienne (Paul) Simpson, Vanessa (Tim) Tripp, Jennifer (Lance) Maddux, Michael (Tiffany) Hilton, Scott (Brandi) Hilton, Chris Hilton, 28 grandchildren, and 15 great-grandchildren with two more on the way.
The family will receive friends from 11 am until 1 pm on Friday, August 15, at Hixson Presbyterian Church, 1450 Jackson Mill Drive in Hixson, TN 37343.
A Celebration of Stuart’s life will follow at 1 pm on Friday at Hixson Presbyterian Church with Pastor Robert Johnson presiding.
Burial will be in Hamilton Memorial Gardens.
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If life is full, as it has been up to now Janet and I will be able to visit him at Hamilton Memorial Gardens.
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