Bayard (Hildy) Hildreth, 92, of Port Austin, passed away on October 29, 2021 at Scheurer Long Term Facility under hospice care.

He was born on August 9, 1929 in Sherewood, West Virginia to the late George W. and Dessie P. (Eddy) Hildreth.

He attended high school at Bruceton Mills, West Virginia prior to enlisting in the Army Air Corp. in 1945 and retired from the Air Force after 30 years of honorable service and earning a Purple Heart.  After military service, he retired to his beloved farm near Port Austin.  Here he pursued his passion for coon hunting and raised and trained coon hounds and beagles.   He was an avid gardener and generously shared his bounty with others.  Hildy also enjoyed fishing.  He loved children and would always try to make them smile and always had candy for them.  Hildy was happy to feed you & to make sure you were happy & full.

Hildy was a past member of the Tip of the Thumb Coon Hunting Club and the American Legion Post 116 in Port Austin.

He is survived by his children: Terrie Sue McGarvey and her husband, Darryl, of Port Austin; Tammy Ann Hunter and her husband, Alvin and Russell Elden Hildreth and his wife, Renee, all from Alabama; 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.  Hildy is also survived by his brother, Wayne Hildreth and his wife, Mary Jane, from West Virginia; along with many nieces and nephews.

Bayard was preceded in death by his siblings: Elden (Virginia) Hildreth, Chester Hildreth, Zale (Marie) Hildreth, Kessell Hildreth, Byron (Rethia) Hildreth, Zenneth (Loretta) Hildreth, Malain (Dallas) Fowler and Eleanor (Walter) Camp.

Funeral service for Bayard will be 11 a.m. on Wednesday, November 3, 2021 at the MacAlpine Gage Chapel in Kinde with Pastor Patti Ward (Filion Church of the Nazareen) officiating.  Burial with military honors will follow at Port Austin Township Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 2 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, November 2, 2021 at the MacAlpine Gage Chapel in Kinde.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made out to the Port Austin Township Library.

Condolences can be shared at www.macalpinefuneralhome.com