Elizabeth (Beth) Hildebrand

Father: Rick Hildebrand (Richard??? Owner of the small business Import Export Shipping)
Mother: Margaret Hildebrand (Maggie)
Brother: Matthew Hildebrand (Matt)
Dog: Pepper
Note: It just occured to me that I think maybe she had an s in her name Elisabeth Hildebrand – but now I’m not sure either way… (smacks head)

Beth and I were good friends. Matt, her brother, was my best friend. Given that we were probably as close as the average 8 year olds in that situation could possibly be. I probably was lead into teasing her with her brother more than I should have been – nothing specific I remember or feel bad about, but I know kids now and can probably predict how I would have behaved then.

She probably doesn’t know it but I learned a lot from her as she was the one girl I knew enough to really trust all of the years I moved around after coming back from California. One of the best lessons, I’m sure she has no recollection of, was when she was riding her scooter in the garage. It would have been 1978 or possibly 1979. She and Matt had been having a particularly hard time of it that day. He was teasing her mightly and I know she was angry at him. Then she fell and hurt her self. He was screaming and there were tears. Did her brother just laugh at her? Did she run upstairs to her mother? No. She went to her brother who wrapper in a big hug and she cried on his chest as he held her and comforted her.

28+ years later, I still have that picture clear in my mind. Matt and Beth taught me the meaning of family, love and the obligation of a brother to a little sister. Something that in 1979, at 9 years of age, I would begin to experience myself.

Beth, or Matt, if you’re out there please drop by and say “Hi!” I’d love to know what happenned over these years in your lives. I miss you…