Hildebrandt

It was a dark and rainy night in Uvalde County, West Texas. Great! Rain is very welcome in West Texas, EXCEPT when a baby is to be born in a home with only dirt roads leading in and out. There was a muddy dash to the small hospital in Uvalde, and thus began the life of Betty Ann born to Victor F. and Erna Dornbusch Niemeyer, on Nov. 10, 1936. Betty was the first child, with a sister, Carolyn (Mrs. Bob Reagan) and a brother, Victor John Niemeyer born later. Betty was baptized at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Knippa, Texas, by Rev. G. Langner.

Betty grew up on the Niemeyer family farm about three miles north of the small town of Knippa, in Uvalde County, Texas. The farm had been purchased by Betty’s grandfather, Fritz Niemeyer, in 1905, when he moved to Knippa from Moulton, Texas. Betty’s grandmother, Annie Linbrugger Niemeyer, was raised in Oak Grove, in Lavaca County only a few miles from the Hildebrandt’s!

Betty attended school in Knippa and was active in the interscholastic leagues. Spelling, penmanship, typing and essay writing, as well as poetry reading and one-act plays were favorites. Confirmation was in 1949, by Rev. E. Meier, with five confirmands, three being first cousins. She was the Football Sweetheart in 1951 was the Harvest Festival Queen in 1952. A memorable occasion for her was being chosen to attend Girls State in 1952. Graduation from Knippa High School was in 1953. There were only five students in the graduating class and again three were first cousins! She was the Knippa Lions Club Sweetheart in 1953 and represented the Club in the annual Uvalde County Rodeo riding her horse “Blondie” in the barrel races. Texas Lutheran College was attended after graduation, with Betty taking Secretarial courses. Betty’s father, who was on the Board of Directors at the Uvalde Memorial Hospital, then arranged for her to take further studies in Medical Records. She studied at the Nix Hospital in San Antonio, returned to the hospital in Uvalde and began the Medical Record Department. (This included taking the medical dictation by shorthand while the doctor was finishing surgery).

In 1955, Betty married Nathanael (Nat) Hoermann in Knippa. Rev. M. C. Hoermann, Nat’s father, performed the ceremony. A son, Lloyd was born in 1956. He now manages the Lone Star Paving in Georgetown, Texas. Another son, Timothy, was born in 1957, and he is retired from construction work and resides on the family farm in Knippa. A daughter, Diana was born in 1961. After leaving her law practice in San Antonio she has been living in the Houston area. In 1964, a third son, Howard was born. After managing the motion picture theaters in Uvalde he moved to Dallas, managing theaters there.

Betty worked at the Uvalde hospital and then for a family physician in Uvalde, Dr. Sterling H. Fly. In 1969, Betty and family moved from Knippa to San Antonio and Betty completed her degree in Medical Record Science in 1973, Magna Cum Laude. She was once more employed by the Uvalde Memorial Hospital as Director of Medical Records. In 1976, she and Nat were divorced, and Betty moved back to San Antonio as Director of the Medical Record Department at Methodist Hospital in San Antonio. She remained in that position until she retired in 1997. During that time she served in many offices with the San Antonio Medical Record Association and was a Board member of the State Medical Record Association. She was a Medical Record Consultant and active in the St. Phillips College Medical Record programs. The first at-home medical record transcription program in San Antonio was implemented by her. She became a member of Hope Lutheran Church in San Antonio, served on the Church Council and was a Church School Board Member.

When Betty had a Medical Record Meeting in Dallas in 1989 Betty and Walter renewed their acquaintance. Walter had previously been Pastor in Knippa, and Walter confirmed her two oldest sons and daughter. The re-acquaintance “grew” and Walter made the attractive offer to Betty to leave city life and come to the country again in Schulenburg. Betty and Walter were married in 1997, in Swiss Alp, the church he was currently serving.

Betty and Walter lived in the Lutheran Church parsonage at Swiss Alp. A great highlight was Walter confirming Lance, Betty’s grandson, as Walter had confirmed Betty’s daughter years ago in Knippa. In 2001 Walter and Betty purchased their home on Old Dubina Lane, near Schulenburg where they continue to live following Walter’s retirement from the ministry in 2002. Betty liked to cook, enjoyed the grandchildren and great grandchildren, being in the outdoors, loving to travel, to read, and she loved working on family histories.

Survivors are her husband Walter Hildebrandt, son Lloyd andwifeGay,sonTimmy,daughter Diana and husband Mark Krieger, son Howard and wife Utanah, grandchildren Brandy (Hoermann) and husband Matt Bryan, Jason Hoermann and wife Brittany, Elise Koock, Lance Falkenberg, friend Sheena Ochoa; step grandchildren Stephen and Rayanah Pilgram, great grandchildren Axel Bryan, Ava and Emma Hoermann, and step great grandchildren Amarii, Averii, Audrii Alanii, Sarayah, and Savion Pilgram. Survivors also include a “bonus family”step daughters Debbie Hildebrandt, Elaine (Hildebrandt) and husband Terry Cross, and step grandchildren Kelsey and husband Troy Newcomb and their son Asher, as well as Conner Cross and Kendall Cross. Sister Carolyn and husband Bob Reagan, and brother Victor John and wife Carla Niemeyer. Nieces, nephews and cousins also survive her. Betty’s father, Victor Niemeyer, mother Erna Niemeyer Falkenberg, stepfather Bennie Falkenberg, and sisterin- law Kay Niemeyer preceeded her in death. Betty said, “The greatest accomplishments in life have been my family, children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, the Church, and career. Later in life she enjoyed the new family by uniting with Walter. Her sentiment was: Life is good. God is good. All praise, thanks and glory be to our Lord God Jesus Christ. Visitation and Prayer Service was held at United Evangelical Lutheran Church, Swiss Alp on Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. Funeral Service and Burial were held in Knippa, Texas at Emmanuel Lutheran Church.