Hilda N. Willoughby

Hilda Nell (Osborne) Willoughby was born September 11, 1929 in Akron, Ohio. 

She died Friday,  Feb 7, 2025, at the age of 95 after a brief illness.  

Hilda met the love of her life, Howard Lyle Willoughby, in August of 1946. He was a handsome 

 20 year old, fresh out of the Navy, while she was a 16 year old high school senior at Kenmore 

 High. They met at Summit Beach Park while swimming at the Crystal Pool. Hilda was with her  

 best friend, Donna Jones, whose boyfriend Bob brought Howard. She knew he was the one.  

 At Christmas, Howard gave her a bathrobe with an engagement ring pinned inside the pocket.  

They were married on June 15, 1947, right after Hilda graduated. Hilda was 17 and wore a 

 beautiful tailored suit that the store had to cut down to fit her size 5 figure. Howard’s older 

 brother Ralph and his wife Matty stood up for them at the wedding at United Brethren Church.  

After the small service and a reception at her parent’s house on Wingerter Street in Akron, 

 Ralph drove the newlyweds in a model A-ford to the train station where they went to Niagara 

 Falls for their honeymoon.  

When they came home they moved in with her parents, Oval and Nellie Osborne. Soon they  

moved to an attic apartment near Perkins Woods, where they shared a bathroom with the  

tenants on the second floor. Rent was $7 per week. By then Howard was working for the 

Board of Education as a fireman ( operating the boilers to heat the school). When Hilda got 

pregnant a few months after her 18th birthday, the landlord forced them to move out. 

 Their son William was born in September, 1948, right after she turned 19.  

In 1950, they built a 24’ x 24’ single story building with no basement on Ralph’s side lot in 

 Tallmadge and heated it with an oil heater that sat in the middle of the apartment. It had an out 

house. They got their water from an outside pump at Ralph’s house. Daughter Sherryl was 

born in September of 1951. The family lived in several other houses in Akron before buying 

the house on 7th street in Cuy. Falls in 1960, where Hilda lived for 65 years until her death.  

She had a beautiful life filled with love and laughter as she raised her family and then watched 

her grandchildren thrive. She was always very involved with holidays and loved her Christmas  

tree. The family cabin in Pennsylvania was a favorite vacation spot to make memories doing 

simple pleasures like having bonfires, riding motorcycles, and shooting at tin cans.  

Hilda was a fabulous cook who showed her love to family and friends with comfort foods. 

She was famous for her fried chicken, her homemade applesauce, her strawberry and peach 

jams, and her pies, like lemon meringue and strawberry rhubarb. She made up to 10 kinds of 

 Christmas cookies every year. She loved to watch others enjoy her cooking. In addition to 

feeding her loved ones, Hilda loved board games, card games, jigsaw puzzles, and reading. 

No one could beat her in Chinese Checkers. She was happiest surrounded by family. Her 90th 

Birthday celebration was a joy for everyone. She remained active in the kitchen and in life until  

she had multiple falls beginning in October of 2024. She fought her way back each time,  

including from a broken hip, surprising her surgeon and family as she did rehab with more 

 energy than a 75 year old. She was spunky and saw a lot of humor in life. She was completely 

 lucid and aware of everything, with an amazing memory. Her hair appointment was written in 

 stone. When a sudden respiratory crisis put her in ICU, she was gone in less than 24 hours, 

surrounded by family. The world lost a very special lady who has finally reunited with her 

 beloved Howard after living without him for 20 years. Hilda said her prayers every night and  

was confident of spending eternity with Jesus.  

Hilda was preceded in death by her parents, Oval & Nellie Osborne, and in-laws Cecil & Rhoda 

 Willoughby, and spouse Howard Willoughby. 

She is survived by son Bill Willoughby of Cuyahoga Falls, daughter Sherryl Owen (Steve) of 

 Silver Lake, grandson Dan Willoughby of Cuyahoga Falls, grandaughters Stephanie 

 Dolan( Mike) of New Franklin, and Amy Abernathy ( Nick) of Hudson, and great grandchildren 

Jackson, Eli and Ben Jabbour, Owen and Brooklyn Abernathy, and Sophia, Olivia, Ella, and  

Anna Dolan. Niece Kimberly Osborne was her grocery shopper, chauffeur, and mealtime 

 companion for many years, and was especially helpful in recent months. Niece Kara 

Gerzanics’ family was also close to her.  

Cremation has taken place. A celebration of Hilda’s life will take place at a later date.

 Arrangements entrusted to Adams Mason Funeral Home (330) 535-9186