HILMAN Raymond Edwin Hilman was born March 31, 1911 in Sparta, Minnesota the second child and oldest son of Oscar and Ida Hilman. He died at Portland, OR March 7, 2008, 3 weeks from his 97th birthday. He is survived by his daughters Loretta Bierkos of Sylvan Lake, Alberta, Iris Seppala of Clayton, CA, Anita Walters of Portland, OR, Naomi Mata of Goldendale, WA; sons Raymond of Greer SC, Clinton of Amity, OR, Dennis of Nykarleby, Finland, Howard of Portland, OR, Darrel of Calgary, Alberta, Harlan of Portland, OR, Bryan of Waikoloa, HI, and his sister Helen Hilman of Sylvan Lake, AB. He was predeceased by his wife Irene of 65 years in 2001, daughter Wanda in 2003, son Ronald in 1979 and 11 brothers and sisters. He leaves 45 grandchildren and 71 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great grandchildren as well as a host of Christian brothers and sisters worldwide. Ray moved from Minnesota with his parents to a homestead in West-Central Alberta when he was only a few months old. He spent his growing up years on the family farm near Sylvan Lake, Alberta, attending Marianne District School on horseback. He and Irene were married on December 21, 1935 at her parent’s home in Brush Prairie WA, and began their married life together on their own farm just outside Sylvan Lake. They moved between several locations in Alberta and Washington State before settling at Goldendale in 1955. Ray was a farmer at heart, a carpenter by vocation and a minister of God's Word by calling. He and Irene tended no less than 5 farming operations between Canada and the US, where Ray built homes in 3 of those locations. He served as a pastor to Apostolic Lutheran congregations in Sylvan Lake, AB, Hockinson and Centerville WA, and preached in Finnish and English from pulpits all across the US and Canada as well as in Sweden and Finland on several occasions. Ordained as a minister of the Apostolic Lutheran Church, his service spanned more than 70 years and he still took a regular service in his Centerville church until a stroke claimed his mobility at age 95. Family reception and viewing will be from 7:00 – 9:00 pm Thursday, March 13, at the Hockinson Apostolic Lutheran Church, 16108 NE 192nd Ave., Brush Prairie, WA. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 pm, Friday, March 14, 2008, at the Hockinson Apostolic Lutheran Church, 16108 NE 192nd Ave, Brush Prairie, WA. A memorial service will be held Saturday March 15, 2008 at 3 pm in the Centerville Grange Hall in Centerville WA. Private interment in the Centerville Cemetery. Layne's Funeral Home in care of arrangements.