Melvin Leroy Hiltabidel, age 81, of Calabash, NC passed away on Thursday, the sixth of August 2020 in the Lower Cape Fear LifeCare Center after a brief illness. Mel passed peacefully with his son, Joe, at his side.

Born in Barberton, Ohio on the fifth of October 1938, Melvin was a son of the late Charles and Esther Cross Hiltabidel. In addition to his parents, Melvin was preceded in death by his loving wife of forty-one years, Helen Norola Messinger Hiltabidel; a brother, Ronald Hiltabidel and a sister, Thelma Jones.

He was a US Navy veteran and was retired from the Rubbermaid Company after over twenty years of service. More recently, he was a devoted member of the Pleasant Plain Baptist Church if Little River, SC where he enjoyed singing in the choir. He was a lifelong fisherman and would drop a line in the water whenever he could; Melvin also loved deer hunting.

Melvin was blessed to find love again late in life and planned to marry his surviving fiancée, Betty Bennett of Calabash. Also surviving are two sons, Jody "Joe" Hiltabidel, (Shelly Simmons) of Travelers Rest, SC, Arthur Engler, (Ron Kolanowski) of Storrs, CT; one daughter, Chris Rogers (Reggie) of San Diego, CA; eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

No services are planned at this time.

In lieu of flowers the family requests with gratitude that donations be made in his name to either the Lower Cape Fear Hospice LifeCare Center, 955 Mercy Lane, Bolivia, NC 28422 or Pleasant Plain Baptist Church, 1260 Highway 57 N, Little River, SC 29566.

Online condolences are encouraged and may be sent to the family at www.fulwoodfuneralservice.com

Michael J Fulwood Funeral Service Licensee, 910-471-5441

Lower Cape Fear Hospice, Brunswick House
955 Mercy Lane, Bolivia NC 28422
Web: http://www.lifecare.org