DAVID BROWNING HILDEBRAND

David Browning Hildebrand, 68, went home to his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on May 5, 2023. After fighting a battle with vascular dementia for over three years and a recent hip fracture, David died peacefully at Faith Presbyterian Hospice in Dallas, Texas.  

David was born on July 19, 1954 in Laramie, Wyoming. In 1955, his family moved to Duluth, Minnesota, where his father, the Reverend John W. Hildebrand, took a position as the rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. In 1968, his family settled in Fort Worth, Texas, where his father was called to be the rector of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church. In 1971, prior to graduating high school, David was selected and participated in a high-ability student summer training program in Engineering and Science at Texas A&M University. In 1972, David graduated with honors from Paschal High School in Fort Worth. Upon graduating high school, David was accepted to and attended Texas A&M University, where he received the President’s Scholar Award during each of his four years attended. In the spring of 1976, David graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering.

During David’s time in college, he met the love of his life, Diane, at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church. On Valentine’s Day 1976, which also happens to be Diane’s birthday, David asked Diane for her hand in marriage. The two were married later that year in September at St. Andrew’s, with David’s father as the officiating minister. In September 1980, the couple welcomed their son, Christopher. David and Diane were married for over 46 loving years.

David was an intelligent man of high integrity and humility, who was highly regarded throughout his successful career in the field of Electrical Engineering. After graduating from Texas A&M University, David started his career as an Integrated Circuit Design Engineer for Mostek Corporation, where he worked until 1982. From 1982 to 1983, David worked as an Integrated Circuit Design Manager for Honeywell Communications. Toward the end of 1983, David pursued an exciting opportunity with a start-up company, SRX, where he was one of the company’s founding engineers. David worked at SRX from 1983 to 1996 where he held various management positions in integrated circuit design and development. Between 1996 and 2007, David held various management and principal field application engineer positions at Symbios/LSI Logic. At the end of 2007, David joined National Semiconductor as a Principal Sales Field Application Engineer and remained through the company’s acquisition by Texas Instruments in 2011. David worked at Texas Instruments until his retirement in 2020. Throughout his career, David was a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and was the co-holder of seven engineering patents.

While David maintained a passionate and successful career in Electrical Engineering for over 44 years, he was also successful in many other aspects of his life. David was known for his kindness. He was a loving, respectful, and devoted husband to his wife, Diane, and a father of love and guidance to his son, Christopher. David enjoyed taking annual vacations with his wife, whether it was to England, France, Canada, or the eastern and western coasts of the United States. He also enjoyed taking his family snow skiing in the winter. David was an adoring Poppi to his two grandchildren, Charlie and Hannah. Together, they loved riding bikes, fishing, reading, coloring, and playing board games. Poppi’s funny faces and silly songs were sure to make his grandchildren laugh.

David’s family would like to say the following: “David/Dad/Poppi, you will be missed forever on earth but we know you are in a much better place in Heaven. We will be reunited with you again one day and will be waiting patiently in the meantime; yet, we will continue to mourn the loss of you, with your kind eyes, smile, and sweet and gentle spirit. There will never be another person like you and we love you dearly. Well done, good and faithful servant!”        

David was preceded in death by his parents, the Reverend John W. and Elizabeth Hildebrand, and his father- and mother-in-law, Ted and Mary Belle Stafford. David is survived by his precious wife Diane of Coppell; his son, Christopher Hildebrand and his wife Natalie of Dallas; his grandchildren, Charlie and Hannah Hildebrand of Dallas; his sister, Dr. Janet Hildebrand of West Monroe, Louisiana; and his extended family.  

A Funeral Service will be held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, May 13, 2023 at St. Andrew’s Anglican (Episcopal) Church, 917 Lamar Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76102, immediately followed by a reception in Moncrief Hall at St. Andrew’s.

Memorials: In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to:

St. Andrew’s Anglican (Episcopal) Church, Fort Worth

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Alzheimer's Association

Faith Presbyterian Hospice: Forefront Living