Alice Katherine (Jenkins) Hilderbrand, age 76 of Bluffton, previously of Ada and Upper Sandusky passed from this life to her heavenly home on June 7, 2022 at the Willow Ridge nursing facility in Bluffton where she had lived for the past seven years.

Alice Kay or A-K as she was known was born Nov. 21, 1945 in Buckhannon, WV and was the only child of the late Rev. William H. and Mary (Roberts) Jenkins. With her father being a minister of the United Methodist Church the family lived in several places where he pastored.

In 1979 she moved to Upper Sandusky where she met and married Tom Hilderbrand, local businessman  on March 5, 1982, they established a home there. They were married for 40 years. While living in Upper Sandusky she was owner/manager of Crafts from A-Z, the director at Wyandot County Council on Aging, associate director of Area Agency of Aging, Mansfield, Alice was on the board of United Way, she became director of CCAAVAW a 5 county organization to assist victims of domestic violence and Turning Point. She testified before the senate committees at the Ohio State house, concerning domestic violence. 

She graduated from Bridgeport WV High School in 1963 and went on to earn a BS  in Home Economics Education from Otterbein University in 1967. In 1972 she was awarded her Master of Arts degree from Ohio State University with a degrees in Higher Education Administration and Student Personnel Services. While at Otterbein she became active in numerous campus activities and was elected or selected for many positions of leadership. As a senior she became the president of the Women’s Student Government  Association. She enjoyed time spent as a member of Theta Nu (social) Sorority. She was awarded the Outstanding Women’s Leadership Award her senior year. The entire time she was at Otterbein she was employed by the office of student personnel. She co-chaired the annual May Day celebration on campus and the Homecoming Day celebration.

Alice Kay retired from Ohio Northern University in 2013 as Vice-President of Student Affairs.  after serving the university for over 30 years in a variety of capacities. Her many accomplishments included bringing the student honorary society Mortar Board to campus, presiding over the expansion of modern apartment facilities for ONU students and always presenting a caring and understanding face to students from around Ohio, the U.S. and the world. She was Dean of Women beginning on June 1, 1971, she served for 23 years. In 1993 she accepted an offer to work at ONU working with the Ohio Associaton of Women Deans, Adminstrators and Councelors. She worked with residents of Ada through United Way and  Rotary Club.

Services will be held on Tues. June 14, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. at the Bringman Clark Funeral Home with Pastor David Burkhart officiating. Visitation will be held on Mon. June 13, 2022 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Interment will be in Old Mission Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to Wyandot County Council on Aging, Ohio Northern University, for a memorial tree to be planted on campus in Alice’s name or Robby Fund at Ohio Northern University in care of Bringman Clark Funeral Home 226 E. Wyandot Ave. Upper Sandusky, OH 43351.

To extend a condolence or share a memory visit www.BringmanClark.com