Jon Haden Hiltbrand passed away peacefully in his sleep on July 3, 2026. He is survived by his wife Randy, his sisters Alix & Katie, his sons Robert & Chris, his daughters-in-law Shari & Diana and his grandchildren Mackenzie & Robbie. His brother Fred is deceased. 

Jon was born on April 22, 1941 to Bob & Charlotte Hiltbrand of Colorado Springs in the shadow of Pikes Peak. But he didn't stay in Colorado, he saw it as his duty to join the United States Navy as a commissioned officer during the Vietnam war and made a more than 25-year career out of his service, retiring as a U.S. Navy Captain. After the Navy he worked for the Embassy of Australia, the University of Oregon and the City of Springfield (home of Homer Simpson, one of his favorite TV characters). 

He was a proud American, a son, a brother, a friend, a high school football player who was offered a college scholarship but turned it down, a husband of more than 60 years, an amateur gardener (with the help of his trusted cat Sneaker), an imaginative storytelling father (“gorilla” warfare is actually fought by gorillas), a grandfather, a self-appointed household official to his siblings (who is Mayor McBunny?), a University of Colorado Boulder graduate, an animal lover (especially cats & dogs), a model builder, a gourmet (hey, if you don't look at them these fried crickets taste like popcorn), a golfer, a Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi MBA, a volunteer, a door double-checker (Jon, you already checked the front door), an award winning artist, a combat veteran and a Sailor. 

Fair winds and following seas. You will be missed.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made via this hyperlink to the Sheriff's Office where he dedicated his time as a volunteer in his later years.