Remembering Thomas J. Hilty

The year was 1942, World War II was raging, and Thomas J. Hilty was itching to join the action.

The Gettysburg, Pa., native was too young to enlist in the United States military so he fibbed about his age, telling recruiters he was a year older instead.

“He lied to get in; he was just sixteen, but told them he was seventeen,” said his son, James Hilty, who recently regained his District 5 seat on the Ocala City Commission. “He was a patriot and wanted to serve his country.”

Hilty, who enlisted in the U.S. Navy, went on to serve in the Pacific Theater aboard the destroyer, the U.S.S. Melvin and was off the coast of Iwo Jima when the historic battle took place in early 1945, passed away Oct. 2 at Estelle’s House, a hospice facility in Ocala.

He was 95-years-old and a resident of Top of the World. He had been an Ocala resident since 1989, moving from Long Island, New York. A member of Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Ocala, Hilty was a retired professional plumber and was a former member of the Elks Lodge on Long Island.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary E., and a son, Dennis who died in infancy. Besides James Hilty, he is also survived by sons, Thomas Jr. (wife, Annie) of Oregon, William (wife, Carol) of Long Island, and Kevin (wife, Karen) of Ocala, and daughters, Elizabeth (husband, Ray) Fassino (cq) of Long Island, and Patricia (husband, Steve) McNichol (cq) of Ocala; 15 grandchildren; 28-great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.

James Hilty said his dad taught him and his siblings the value of a good work ethic and to treat everyone with kindness.

“He was always helpful to everyone,” he said. “He was the type of guy who made friends no matter where he went.”

A handyman and tinkerer, Hilty was known locally as, “The Lamp Man.” He refurbished and or repaired more than 1,000 lamps after his wife’s death eight years ago, and donated them to Hospice of Marion County to sell in its thrift stores. A broken hip sidelined that hobby the past year.

“He may have retired from work but he never retired from doing things; he was always busy,” said James Hilty, a board member of Hospice of Marion County. “Some lamps just needed to be cleaned up, others needed a total refurbishing.”

“Sometimes he created lamps using parts he pulled together,” he said.

His father always joked about sharing a birthday with Queen Elizabeth. Both were born on April 21, 1926, said James Hilty.

“My dad always said if he had been born in England on that day, his life could have been very different,” he said.

He also liked to go bowling with his late wife, and try his luck at the gambling tables in Biloxi, Miss., said Hilty. He also enjoyed purchasing scratch off tickets.

“He lost a lot more than he won,” he said.

Viewing will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. Tuesday (Oct. 19) at Roberts Funeral Home, Bruce Chapel West 6241 S.W. State Road 200, with funeral services at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday (Oct. 20) at Blessed Trinity Catholic Church, 5 SE 17th St., Ocala. Interment will follow in the veteran’s section at Good Shepherd Memorial Gardens in Ocala.