- A short life sketch of Joseph Roy Hilton, Senior
His parents and siblings, Uncles and Aunts called him Joe Roy, but professionally and in the church he was called Joe. His wife, Wanda called him Joe too when she wasn't calling him some tender nickname like Dear, Sweetheart, Man-O-Mine, etc. He was named after two uncles who were serving in the military during World War I, one Joseph and one Roy. When he was born on April 16, 1919 his parents thankful that both were alive and well named him Joseph Roy in celebration. Joe Roy was the second child, both sons, of Eugene Hilton and Ruth Naomi Savage. They went on to have a total of seven sons before finally producing a daughter as the eighth child.
Joe Roy was born in Lehi, Utah and lived in Utah, Idaho, Arizona and finally California where his father settled. Joe Roy carried newspapers for the Oakland Shopping News and received their scholarship for his good service. He was also an Eagle Scout, one of the first in California. He was a Sea Scout and sailed on San Francisco bay with his brothers in their small sailboat named Itsy Maru.
Joe Roy was always a sober young man, but had many friends and was pretty normal growing up in the depression years. His father got a doctorate in Education from the University California and was employed with the Oakland School System and so provided a good living for the large family. Joe Roy liked mechanical things, he tinkered with and repaired cars and helped his father with modifications and additions to their home. He went to the University of California and received his Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering with a Phi Beta Kappa award.
Joe Roy's father was a local leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was a bishop of the Dimond Ward and president of the Oakland Stake for many years during which time it was the largest stake in the church. So it was not unexpected that Joe Roy served a mission. He was called originally to Germany, but due to the Second World War hostilities he was sent to the Central States Mission. While in the Mission Home in Salt Lake City he met a fellow missionary named Wanda Fullmer. In those days it was acceptable for those in the mission home to socialize and Joe Roy and Wanda went on a couple of dates. They both went to the same mission but never crossed paths during their missionary service. But on the way out they sat together on the train and Joe Roy remembered Wanda singing so beautifully that his heart was hers from then on. They were married shortly after his return.
Wanda had come home after 18 months of service as a Sister Missionary and had gone to her home in Sugar City, Idaho, where she felt rather provincial and unsophisticated. When Joe Roy was released after 2 years he traveled straight to see Wanda even before coming home to Oakland. While there he proposed to her and she accepted, feeling like a commoner who had a prince fall in love with her and was going to take her to his castle and a life of royal privilege. He went home and told his parents, they all drove out to Salt Lake City to meet Wanda who came with her mother for the wedding which occurred on October 28, 1941.
Back in California Joe Roy and Wanda set up housekeeping with Joe Roy studying at UC. He had been in ROTC and so was able to get a commission in the Navy. He was fortunate enough to get an assignment in Naval Intelligence based on Treasure Island in San Francisco bay, so he was able to come home every night and sleep in his own bed for the duration of the war. A wonderful blessing when so many were enduring such hardship and danger.
They had their first child, Joseph Roy Junior and second, Stephen Homer and third, Susanne before Joe Roy graduated from UC. They lived in Berkeley and Albany while a student and when Joe Roy was employed by Standard Oil Company of California in San Francisco they moved to the East Bay suburb of Pleasant Hill into a new house in the subdivision named Sherman Acres.
While there Joe Roy was called to be the first bishop of the newly formed Pleasant Hill ward. He went on to be bishop for 9 years, after his release he held the position of Priest's adviser for a short time then a member of the High Council for a couple of years. He became counselor to President Norman Creer and in time was called as the President of the Walnut Creek Stake, a position he held for 11 years.
They moved from Pleasant Hill to Walnut Creek and remained in their second Walnut Creek home until they moved to Provo, Utah in 1979.
He and Wanda eventually had 7 children, Joseph Roy Junior, Stephen Homer, Susanne, Karen Louise, Barbara, Thomas Samuel Eugene and William Robert. Barbara was born with a congenital defect eventually diagnosed as Rubensteins Syndrome which resulted in her development to about age 5 mentally and additional physical and mental limitations. Barbara was placed in shelter homes when she got older as a way of giving her social and educational opportunities, but it also gave Wanda needed respite and freedom from the daily needs of a handicapped child. Joe Roy said it was entirely his decision to do this, he did not want Wand a to have to feel any responsibility for shirking her motherly duties.
The greatest tragedy of their lives was when their youngest, William Robert “Billy” died as a result of injuries received on a church snow tubing outing in February 1971. Wanda never was at peace for the rest of her life and grieved continually and deeply for Billy. Joe Roy, however apparently was able to accept the loss as God's will and as difficult as it was, he was able to continue to function quite normally with this peace of acceptance.
He had a successful career with Standard Oil as a pump specialist and turbine engineer. He was called upon to travel worldwide for Standard Oil. He went to Pascagoula, Mississippi on many occasions, to Italy, South America and other places in his work assignments. He related how he turned down promotions because he felt they would compromise his ability to devote needed time to his church assignments.
As a provider he was never wealthy, but always had sufficient for his family's needs. With his church and work assignments his time at home was precious and his children did not see him very much. When his oldest were in high school he decided to make time to be with each child on a Tuesday night for an hour when he would take one to a local hamburger joint and allow them to order anything at all they wanted, a tremendous extravagance for a child of the Great Depression.
In late 1971 Joe Roy was diagnosed with multiple myeloma bone cancer and this eventually took his life. He was able to deal with it well for 15 years. During which time he was placed on long term disability from Standard Oil. He and Wanda determined to move to Provo, Utah which they did in 1979. They lived there serving in the Temple and in a local bishopric until his death in 1985. He served his family and local neighbors as much as his health would allow and was beloved of all who knew him. He was a Sealer in the Provo Temple and a Seminary teacher at Barbara's shelter home in Lindon, Utah.
An experience he records in his journal which shows his faith and closeness to his Father in Heaven is as follows. “I have felt that the Lord has been in charge- that he has a plan for my life. I still feel that way and wish to cooperate with His plan. I will record here what happened to me one night the latter part of 1972 or early 1973. I was having lots of pain with my back as a result of the cancer attack. I had been blessed often and prayed always. This night- about 3 am I was awake with lots of pain and so I prayed a simple prayer, 'Dear Heavenly Father. If possible, please take this pain away or lessen it so I can get some rest. I ask it in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.' Right after this prayer all the pain went away. I was joyfully surprised. I wondered if something had gone wrong with my nerves so I pinched myself and found my nerves were okay. I looked around the room and made sure I was awake. I wiggled to see if a little change of position would make a difference. It didn't. The pain was really gone. I lay in bed grinning and saying, 'Thank you Heavenly Father.' Then the pain started to come back and as it did so the words came into my mind, 'I have heard you, my son, but your plan is not my plan.' The pain thereafter was easier to bear and subsequently the very hard pain was stopped by cobalt radiation which killed the malignant cells which were causing collapse of a vertebra in my back. Since that night I have felt it was the Lord's program and I have been pleased to cooperate with it. I think he expects me to do all I intelligently can to take care of myself and be righteously useful in the earth. I will continue to do this and accept with great peace the Lord's plan for my life.”
Another choice experience that illustrates his spiritual preparation is as follows. Related by second son Stephen. “When Joe Roy was on his deathbed in the University of Utah Medical Center, his wife and all his children except Barbara were in the room. I was next to his head and was attempting to speak peace to him. It occurred to me that he might be concerned or even fearful at the approach of death and so I asked him if he was afraid. He was very weak and could not speak above a faint whisper but upon my question, his eyes flew open in obvious surprise and he beckoned for me to bend down by his mouth. As I did he whispered with all the intensity he could muster, 'This is the greatest adventure of my life!' That is the last thing I remember that he spoke directly to me, soon he lapsed into a coma and he passed away peacefully a few hours later. I have never forgotten his conviction and the confidence and peace it gave him at the critical times of his life. May I be able to do the same.”
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1919 - 1985 (65 år)
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