John R. Hildebrand
John Roberts Hildebrand of Salem passed away July 30, 2025. A son of James Raymond and Blanche Roberts Hildebrand, he was born February 8, 1926, in Roanoke, Virginia. He was a faithful Presbyterian, serving Salem Presbyterian Church as Deacon, Elder, and Trustee and volunteering with the Presbyterian Community Center in Roanoke. He was also a member of the Rotary Club of Salem, supporting many of their projects.
A 1943 graduate of Jefferson Senior High School, Hildebrand served in the US Army Air Corps in World War II. He was a 1950 civil engineering graduate of Virginia Polytechnic Institute, a Fellow and Life member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, a member of the Academy of Distinguished Alumni of the Virginia Tech Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and a member of Chi Epsilon, national civil engineering honor society.
Hildebrand’s engineering career spanned forty-one years, beginning in 1950 when he joined Hayes, Seay, Mattern and Mattern, a nationally recognized architectural and engineering firm headquartered in Roanoke, Virginia. He retired from the firm in 1991. Named a partner in 1966, he was responsible for the planning and design of the firm’s multi-million dollar transportation and public works projects in Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, and the District of Columbia. He held professional engineer and land surveyor registrations in Virginia, North Carolina, the District of Columbia, and several other states.
Hildebrand was a member of the Virginia Historical Society, the Historical Society of Western Virginia, and the Salem Historical Society. A student of late 19th century Virginia history and a writer, Hildebrand’s first project after retirement was to edit and arrange for publication of his great grandfather’s day journal, A Mennonite Journal, 1862 – 1865, a Father’s Account of the Civil War in the Shenandoah Valley. He was the author of two books, Iron Horses in the Valley, the Valley and Shenandoah Valley Railroads, 1866 – 1882, and The Life and Times of John Brown Baldwin, 1820 - 1873, A Chronicle of Virginia’s Struggle with Slavery, Secession, Civil War and Reconstruction.
He contributed articles to several historical periodicals, including the Smithfield Review, the Proceedings of the Rockbridge Historical Society, and the Historical Society of Western Virginia Journal. A special project was an article for Air Power History, a periodical published quarterly by the Air Force Historical Foundation. It recounted the history of the Army Air Corps communications station located at Naples, Italy from 1943 until 1947, the unit in which he served in 1946.
Hildebrand was predeceased by his wife of 75 years, Thelma Jeter Shank Hildebrand. He is survived by his brother, David C. Hildebrand; his brother-in-law, John M. Shank; his children Martha Karen Hildebrand Sherwood and husband Robert; John Roberts Hildebrand, Jr. and partner R. Neal Fine; Sarah Jeter Hildebrand Caldwell and husband Gregory; Caroline Shank Hildebrand Cochrane and husband James; grandchildren Catherine Esterbrook Sherwood Hagan and husband Christopher; Elizabeth Wampler Hildebrand Strasser and husband Joseph; Margaret Hildebrand Sherwood; Mary Claire Hildebrand Corron and husband Devin; Caroline Morgan Caldwell Cooledge and husband John; Catherine Roberts Caldwell Short and husband George; Sarah Lane Cochrane Payne and husband William; James Hildebrand Cochrane; Julia Xian Shank Cochrane; and John Hao Wright Cochrane; great-grandchildren Sarah Catherine Hagan, Jacob Alexander Hagan, Tyler Marx Strasser, Madison Claire Strasser, and Grant Richmond Strasser.
The family expresses sincere thanks to the loving team of care givers who have served us so faithfully.
There will be a private graveside service for the family at East Hill Cemetery. A memorial service will be held Saturday, August 23, 2025, at 11:00 AM at Salem Presbyterian Church, 41 East Main Street, Salem, VA. A reception will follow in the church fellowship hall.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to Salem Presbyterian Church. The mailing address is PO Box 536, Salem, VA 24153.
