George W. Hilger passed away at the Evergreen Health Care Center at 4 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 28, 2002, at the age of 94. He was born on Feb. 16, 1907, at the Hilger Ranch to Joseph and Carrie (Sperry) Hilger.
He went to the Beartooth School, and his first job was on his Aunt Fannie Steele and Bill Steele's Dude Ranch near Helmville, which was one of the highlights of his life. He worked on various ranches in Helena and Wolf Creek areas and at Forestvale Cemetery. He excelled as a caretaker of livestock and all animals and also at gardening.
On Oct. 2, 1954, he married Nellie Barrett in Bozeman. They enjoyed 47 years of life together. They lived at Cut Bank and Townsend on ranches. In 1988, they moved back to the Hilger Ranch, where he retired, and lived there for 12 years before his health failed.
He is survived by his wife, Nellie; brother and sister-in-law Charles and Lula Hilger of Lovelock, Nev.; three sisters, Hallie Alexander of Townsend, Betty Hilger, and Viola Nelson of Helena; one niece and three nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, four sisters, three brothers, four brothers-in-law, three nephews and many cousins.
