Reflections on the life of my brother, Claude Elmer "Sonny" Hildebrand, Jr.
 by Mary E. Burke

September 11, 1943 – August 11, 2005

	Sonny was born September 11, 1943, the second child and only son of Claude 
and Mary Hildebrand.  Along with his older sister, Mary, the family lived in 
Elkridge on Montgomery Road in the same house he called home at the time of his 
death.  From earliest childhood, Sonny had a fascination with cars, trucks, 
trains, and boats.  When he was nine, he and his Dad built a race car like the 
ones he so admired at Dorsey Speedway.  His Mom made him a white satin one-piece 
race suit with black trim and #11 on the back after his favorite driver.  He was 
thrilled with his new toy and it was a real hit with the boys in the 
neighborhood.

	Sonny was a Cub Scout and enjoyed being outdoors playing baseball.  He 
also liked board games and card games, but he hated to lose.  He loved the 
water, was an excellent swimmer and worked as a life-guard for several summers 
during high school.  The family spent the summers at a cabin on the Severn River 
and Sonny used to "drive his 14 foot Chris Craft boat to work".  After work, Dad 
would operate the speed boat and Sonny would water ski until dark.  

	Sonny had several years of perfect attendance at school.  He was an 
average student, but he excelled in music, wood and metal shop, and played the 
drums in the school band.  He graduated from Howard High School in 1961.

	After graduation, he became a dispatcher for the Howard County Police 
Department.  He married Agnes Haren on September 26, 1964 and together they 
volunteered on the first ambulance crew at Elkridge Fire Department.  Their 
marriage ended in divorce several years later and Sonny went to work in car 
sales.  
He wore a suit and tie, grew a mustache and was an extremely successful 
salesman. 

	He enjoyed car races having grown up watching the stock cars at Dorsey and 
in later years, he traveled to Watkins Glen, NY, Daytona, and Indianapolis for 
the races.  Recently, he watched every race he could on TV.   

	He had an interest in trains since our father worked as an engineer on the 
B and O Railroad.  We always had a train garden under our Christmas tree, but 
Sonny took the train layout to a new level.  He filled one entire room with 
tunnels and mountains, and he had six trains all running at the same time.  He 
built remote controlled, boats with gasoline-engines and remote controlled 
airplanes, one with an eight-foot wingspan.  He had infinite patience to design 
and manufacture intricate parts and details on these boats, planes and trains.    

	His favorite foods included turkey and dressing, and all kinds of seafood, 
especially steamed shrimp and crabs.  He liked corn-on-the-cob, garden tomatoes 
and fresh pineapple.  

	He loved his association with Chapter A of the Gold Wing Road Runners,  
and served as the District Logistics Chairperson, where he used his salesmanship 
skills to raise funds for the organization.    

	If you know Sonny at all, you know he had a passion for his candy apple 
red 3-wheel trike.  His basement was his workshop and he and his friends would 
spend all winter tinkering with their bikes preparing for the spring riding 
season.  He regularly traveled to Myrtle Beach, SC for Bike Week and to Ocean 
City for Winter-Thing.  His greatest disappointment, was not being able to ride 
this spring due to his failing health.

	Since moving back to Elkridge in 1995, he has been a faithful member of 
Melville Chapel United Methodist Church and has served the church 8 years as 
Financial Secretary.  

	Sonny lost his long battle with diabetes and kidney failure on August 11, 
2005, just one month shy of his 62nd birthday.  He was a loving son, a special 
brother, a fun-loving uncle and a good friend who will be greatly missed.