John Daniel (J.D. or Danny) Hilburn

John Daniel (J.D. or Danny) Hilburn was born on Oct. 20, 1939, in Belen. His parents were Frank and Claudia Hilburn. When very young, the family moved to Amarillo, Texas, and then to Canadian, Texas, where his father worked the Santa Fe railroad. He and his brothers had great fun playing with all the neighbor children on their street and spent a lot of time fishing in any water they could find. The family moved back to Belen in 1948 to his grandpa Houston’s dairy, and he continued his high school education in Belen and lettered in football. He was a big player with the testimony that he “put the hurt” on many opponents. This seemed a tremendous feat after surviving two bouts with rheumatic fever in his youth. Danny grew up playing. He loved to make a bow with arrows made from cat tails and shoot his brother. They loved to float down the ditch into the river. He loved to have a good dirt clod fight with all the boys. But he really loved to hunt and fish. And hunt and fish some more. Sometime in high school, he met Nancy Mae Felty. His love. His wife for 52 years. They married on Jan. 3, 1958. They had four children together; Cyndi Danelle, Michael Daniel, Byron James and Patrick Wayne. He truly enjoyed spending time with all his children and grandchildren in any outdoor activity. Danny and Nancy also shared several hobbies. Danny had many hobbies besides his two greatest desires of hunting and fishing. They included rummaging through abandoned houses with Uncle Duker, bowling with his wife, photography (never himself), metal detecting with Jake Hataway, archery with his whole family, panning for gold with his brother, cutting wedges, fly tying, reclaiming shot and trap shooting with all his friends. He could even draw, which he learned to do while sick in bed with rheumatic fever. J.D. worked for the Santa Fe railroad for 42 years; first in Belen as a switchman,, and then as an engineer in Clovis for 15 years, then back in Belen until 2000 and finally retiring. He is preceded in death by his mother, Claudia; father, Frank; sister, Lois; and son, Bryon. He is survived by his wife, Nancy; daughter, Cyndi; son, Michael; son, Patrick; brother, Frank Wesley and wife, Roz; and 15 grandchildren and one great grandchild. A visitation will be held at the Belen Trap Club at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, July 14, followed by a memorial service at 2 p.m. Interment will be held at a later date. Sign Danny’s online register book at www.romerofuneralhomenm. com. Romero Funeral Home, 609 N. Main St., Belen

John Daniel (J.D. or Danny) Hilburn

July 13, 2010