Vincent John “Bud” Hilmes, 90, passed away February 16, 2012. He was born July 28, 1922 in Ransom, Kansas to Johanna and Bernard Hilmes the oldest son of nine siblings.

He was predeceased by his first wife of 36 years, Mary Jo; two daughters, Judy and Carole Ann; by his second wife of 31 years, Wilma Benson, who passed away in September; three siblings, Agnes Lewis, Al, and Pat Jumara.

He is survived by three children, Ron (Judy) Hilmes, Smithville Lake, MO, Barbara (Stephen) Bodanske, Overland Park, KS, and Patricia (Charlie) Jenkins, Dennison, TX; two brothers, Bernard Hilmes, and Jim Hilmes, Springfield; three sisters, Mary Ann (Bill) Rumker, Betty, and Cecelia (David) Tartar; two devoted step-grandchildren, Regina (Darren) Rorrer and Dale (Natalie) Benson; eight grandchildren, Luke and Ben Hilmes, Rhonda Brown, Sarah Heitsch, Senior Airman Philip Bodanske, USAF, Jeffrey Bodanske, Craig Jenkins, Jennifer Armstrong, fifteen great-grandchildren; and two great-great grandchildren.

Vincent served in the USAAC, the United States Army Air Corps, before and during WWII in its entirety. He was a flight navigator on B-17 crews patrolling the Panama Canal Zone for German submarines for the first years, then later on the islands of Guam and Tinian on B-17s, and later B-25s and B-29s. He survived three crash landings including once when he was lost at sea on a life raft alone for three days before miraculously being spotted and rescued. His crew was one of only a few who survived the required minimum of 30 flight missions and continued to fly until the end of WWII. A late duty change moving Vincent to the Radio Shack during the invasion of Iwo Jima probably saved his life again because of the high loss of land Troops. On August 5, 1945, Vincent stood on the wing of his plane and watched a secret cargo being loaded into the Enola Gay on the island of Tinian. It turned out to be the Atomic Bomb “Little Boy” that was dropped on Hiroshima the next day. Vincent was discharged with rank of Master Sergeant. Returning to Springfield after the Japanese surrender, Vincent became a master carpenter and site foreman for several construction companies. He was known as a meticulous and quality craftsman. Once while working at Hammons Tower, his work was observed by John Q. Hammons who then requested him personally to do the finish work on the cabinets in Hammons’ personal office.

Bud’s happiest days were at his cabin on Table Rock Lake; one he built entirely himself. He had the vision to see what Table Rock Lake would be, and bought land on the lake even before it filled with water. He began his cabin in 1960, and his dearest wish was to retire at the lake. He loved to fish, or just sit looking out at the water. For him, his time at the lake was a taste of heaven.

A funeral service will be held at 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, February 20, 2013, in Greenlawn Funeral Home North. Burial will follow in Resurrection Cemetery. Visitation will be 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, in the funeral home.

Memorials are suggested to: Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675.