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Douglas Howard Hildreth, M.D.
Obituary: Medford Mail Tribune, July 26, 2009
Doug was born in Kalamazoo, Mich., to Roscoe Carson and Irene (Severance) Hildreth on Sept. 6, 1940. He went to be with the Lord July 21, 2009; he died at home after a long illness. He attended Dartmouth College and took his Medical and Surgical training at the University of Michigan with his internship at the Oregon Health Sciences University and residency at University of Michigan. He served two years in the Navy as a general surgeon and joined the Medford Clinic as a general and vascular surgeon in 1972, providing compassionate surgical care for nearly 30 years. He entered the sport of Hang Gliding in its infancy and took great pleasure giving back to the sport. He served as Director of Region I and Chairman of Accident Review, of the United States Hang Gliding Association for 12 years and was one of the founding members of the Rogue Valley Hang Gliding Association. He deeply enjoyed RVing and has traveled across the United States to Maine, to the family's camp and back numerous times. He became active in writing articles on Rexhall's website on How to improve your RV. He was an active member of his church; a youth advisor for High School students from 1990-2003, where he enjoyed encouraging his young friends to find out who they were in Jesus and helping them see that they could make a difference in this world through youth mission work as part of 12 mission trips to Mexico, to build houses for those who had none. Additionally, he and his wife, Linda, served on a Medical Mission to Guatemala doing surgical work to save lives and improve people's ability to earn their living. He continued to be active with the church through out his life and even in his retirement, he harvested his passion for chopping wood by being an active member of the Westminster Presbyterian's Project Warm, which provides free wood to those in need and is always looking for able bodied volunteers. He served his friends and family as a teacher of life, and always believing in giving to others first. His life exemplified his philosophies, I'm third: God first, others second, I'm third. And Do two nice things for others every day, if anyone finds out (you did it), it doesn't count.
He is survived by his wife, Linda Lee Hildreth; son, Tyrone (Shana) Hildreth, of Tualatin, Ore.; daughter, Tonya Hildreth (John) Stevens, of Portland, Ore.; and stepson, Daniel Wayne (Sara) Allison, of Green River, Wyo.; and seven grandchildren who will miss him very much. He is also survived by his three siblings, Susan Hildreth (Joseph) Cusato, of Columbus, Ohio; Steven Carson Hildreth, of Sangerville, Maine; Barbara Hildreth, of Old Town, Maine. A Celebration of His Life to be announced. Ever a teacher, he donated his body to Oregon Health Sciences University School of Medicine and his ashes will be placed in the family plot in Perl's Siskiyou Cemetery. Memorial Contributions may be made to Roscoe C. Hildreth, MD and Irene S Hildreth, RN Memorial Scholarship Fund #4708, University of Nebraska Foundation, 8712 W. Dodge Rd, Suite 100, Omaha, NE 68114 or Westminster Presbyterian Church Youth Program Funds, 2000 Oakwood, Medford, OR.
