James Hilde, 90, passed away peacefully in his sleep on August 1, 2026, at Bethany on University, Fargo, ND. He dedicated his life to doing God's will and joyfully shared God's love with us all.

James Leroy Hilde was born on December 6, 1935, in Camrose, Alberta, Canada, the second of five children of Selmer and Ina (Jeglum) Hilde. He was baptized by his Father on December 25, 1935, in New Norway, AB. The family moved to Walhalla, ND, and then to Michigan, ND, where he confirmed his faith in the rite of confirmation at Michigan Lutheran in June 1949. He graduated from Michigan High School in 1953 where he participated in basketball and baseball and played the saxophone and piano.

He attended Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, where he graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in history in 1957. As a Cobber for Life, he enjoyed going to the annual Christmas Concerts and various activities and reunions on campus.

On June 7, 1957, he was united in marriage at Our Savior's Lutheran, Stillwater, MN, to Betty Peterson, whom he had met in grade school in Michigan and dated in high school and college. He proposed on the steps of Old Main on the Concordia campus. They began their married life in St. Anthony, MN, while he attended Luther Seminary in St. Paul. There he began his lifelong exasperation with the Minnesota Vikings and to some extent the Minnesota Twins.

He served his internship year at First Lutheran, Decorah, IA, and graduated with a Bachelor of Theology in 1961. He was ordained at Our Savior's Lutheran, Stillwater, MN, on August 27, 1961.

Their first parish was Emmanual Lutheran in Beatrice, NE. In 1967 they accepted the call to Immanual Lutheran in Coleridge, NE. It was here their only child, Alisa Beth, was born in July of 1967. In 1973, they moved to Enderlin, ND, where James served the parishes of Trinity Lutheran and Anslem Lutheran.

In 1996 Jim "retired" and moved to Fargo, ND, where he was a Chaplain at MeritCare Hospital (now Sanford). He sang in the choir at First Lutheran and they performed twice at Carnagie Hall in NYC. He was a member of the Northern Botanical Society and the walking West Acres crew who met for coffee.

He was an avid photographer and enjoyed sharing pictures from the Grand Canyon, New York, the Holy Land, and Wittenberg, Germany in recent years plus all the ones taken over the years on family vacations in western United States, and Canada. He continued to spend time on the golf links until his mobility issues forced him to end this activity.

He is survived by his daughter Alisa Hilde (Trevor) Fargo, his sisters Catherine (Neal) Anderson, Ham Lake, MN, and Sharon Dibbern, Washington, DC, sister-in-law Dawn Hilde, Cumberland, WI, and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife Betty, his parents Rev. Selmer & Ina Hilde, brothers Paul Hilde and Roger Hilde, parents-in-law Leroy and Bonita Peterson, and brother and sister-in-law Cliff and Betty Peterson.

The family wishes to express their gratitude to the staff at Bethany and Ethos Hospice for the excellent care James received.

Visitation will be Tuesday, August 11, from 1:00 - 2:00 PM, followed by the memorial service at 2:00 PM, in Wright Funeral Home, Moorhead, MN.

Interment will be at Sunset Memorial Gardens, Fargo, ND.