Hilda Slaback Remmers

On March 30, 2023, Hilda S. Remmers, beloved wife and mother of three children, went home to be with the Lord at the age of 93 after a long and difficult struggle with Alzheimer’s. Her suffering is now over. Hilda was born on February 9, 1930, in La Crosse, Wisconsin to Theron and Borgny Slaback. After graduating from Logan High School in 1948, Hilda attended the Lutheran Deaconess School of Nursing in Minneapolis, MN. From a very early age Hilda knew that she wanted to be a nurse and care for those in need. Near the end of her training, in September 1950, her mother Borgny suddenly passed away, which compelled her to take a leave of absence and care for her six younger brothers and sisters. After graduating from Lutheran Deaconess in 1951, Hilda worked as an operating room nurse at hospitals in La Crosse, WI, Denver, CO, San Francisco, CA, and New York, NY. In 1957 she met Edward G. Remmers who was serving in the US Navy in San Francisco, CA. Edward and Hilda were married on December 30, 1959, at The Brick Presbyterian Church in New York City. For the rest of their marriage, Edward often referred to Hilda as “his San Francisco girlfriend.” Likewise, Hilda referred to Edward as “my Darien dreamboat” (referring to Edward’s hometown of Darien, CT).

A key turning point in Hilda’s life was her conversion to Jesus Christ in about 1968. Prior to that time her faith could be described as nominal: that is, her profession of faith led to no alteration in her heart or mind towards the things of this world (e.g., material things, money, relationships). In 1968, however, through a Bible study at a local church, the Spirit of God opened her blind eyes and enabled her to see the “treasure hidden in a field” as described in Matthew 13:44. The covenantal love of God towards her through Jesus Christ became so evident that it led to a new life - a new joy - which she had not known before. The whole course of her life was henceforth changed. Jeremiah 31:3 “I have loved you with an everlasting love” - Hilda’s favorite verse - became a living reality to her because it reflected the work of God in her life.

Following her conversion her life was devoted to the service of others. She cared for the poor and the elderly and provided food and clothing to those in need. In the 1990s, Hilda renewed her nursing license and became a private duty hospice nurse. For more than 40 years she participated in - and often taught - Bible studies for women. No matter how many (or few) showed up, she spent hours faithfully preparing each lesson - typically 10 to 15 hours a week. Her heart’s desire was simply for others to know and commune with the Triune God as revealed in Scripture.

Hilda was preceded in death by her father and mother, Theron and Borgny Slaback, her three sisters Evelyn Pertzch, Arlene Tabbert, and Norma Slaback; her two brothers Gary Slaback and Roland Slaback. She is survived by her husband Edward; her three children Ann, Barbara, and Philip; her brother Terry Slaback; and her two grandchildren Monica Graham and Elizabeth Graham.

A memorial service will be held at Church of the Good Shepherd in Durham, NC on Saturday April 22, 2023, at 1:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that a memorial gift be sent to a publishing ministry that was near and dear to Hilda’s heart. The Robert Morrison Project is a Durham, NC non-profit that seeks to publish Christian books in regions of the world that have few or no literature resources. Robert Morrison Project, P.O. Box 51788, Durham, NC 27717.