Otto Bobby Hilgen

Funeral services for Otto Bobby Hilgen, 75, of Deer Park, TX will be held Saturday, December 30, 2017 at Croley Funeral Home in Gilmer. Family will receive friends Saturday, December 30, 2017 from 1:00 until 2:00. Mr. Hilgen passed away Sunday, December 24, 2017 in Pasadena, TX.

Bobby was born July 16, 1942 in Columbus, TX to Otto Hilgen and Lillian Vavra. Through hard work and his upbringing he was taught to work with his hands as a gardener, raising animals, hunting, fishing and being a carpenter. All these things he enjoyed throughout his life. He worked as a carpenter’s helper before he was legal age to work, saving his money to go to college. He graduated from Columbus High School and received a scholarship for highest ranking student of graduation class of 1961. After high school he joined the Army Reserves and was discharged in 1969. Then joined the Army until 1971.

He attended Wharton County Junior College and received his Associated in Art in 1963. Then moved to Houston and boarded a room from Ms. Ootsey and got a job with Houston Sash & Door to attended University of Houston to become a teacher. His last year he became a student teacher for 7th grade math and decided teaching wasn’t for him, so he quit school and went to work for Diamond Alkali and moved to Pasadena, TX. He married Peggy Askew in 1969 and moved to Deer Park.

Diamond Alkali decided to put him on the night shift so he quit to go back to college full time. By then they had added more courses and study wasn’t as easy then. So he went to work for IBM in NASA for the Space Program where he retired. He then continued to work with the Space Program until he retired from Lockheed Martin in 2005. He kept the yard and garden nice with red roses, 7 sisters scattered around, and later citrus trees.
He loved to hunt and fish with neighbors, brother-in-law’s, or even come to Big Sandy by himself. Mother Askew and all the family and the Lodge was always special to him. When he choose to buy his final resting place in Big Sandy, it was no surprise to anyone.

Bobby is survived by his wife; Peggy Higen, sister; Dorothy Raabe and husband Elo, nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, and great great nieces.