Becky Hilfer

Becky L. Hilfer, 60, passed away peacefully in her home on April 15, 2021, following a long journey with cancer. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday at Weigel Funeral Home, Mandan, with a Memory Celebration at 6 p.m.  Services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 20, 2021, at First Lutheran Church, Mandan, with Rev. Phil Leer officiating. Burial will be at the Mandan Union Cemetery on Thursday, April 22 at 11 am.

Becky, daughter of Wallace and Ardell Schmeling, was born in Bismarck, ND on May 17, 1960.  She spent her childhood playing kick the can and exploring the pastures behind the high school with her siblings and neighborhood kids on Custer Drive.  She was active in many extra curriculars, most notably tennis and playing the clarinet in concert and marching bands.  The friendships she made while on the tennis team became life long, and they have been infamously branded the “Tennis Hoggers”.  She graduated from Mandan High School in 1978 and married her high school sweetheart, Brent Hilfer, in February 1981.  Becky and Brent had three wonderful children, Lexie, Travis, and Corbin.   Their family wasn’t complete until 2005 when they welcomed Aliya home from Guatemala.  She became best known as Grammy in 2013 when her first grandchild, Lukas, was born, followed by grand-daughters Britta and Emma.  Becky had many ambitions she would chase during her lifetime but being a mom and a “Grammy” were her true life’s passions.

Anyone who was lucky enough to have met this beautiful soul knows that she was one of the kindest, most generous, and thoughtful people in this world.  She was the first person to jump at the chance to help others, whether it was fundraising for her favorite Guatemalan charity, Mayan Families, to support women and children’s education, creating personalized gifts for all of her loved ones for every occasion, designing intricate bras for “Bucks for Bras” breast cancer fundraiser, or babysitting her grandkids at a moment’s notice.   She was an avid crafter, evidenced by the entire room full of yarn, beads, and an assortment of crafting materials all to support her crocheting, cross-stitching, beading, and ceramics hobbies.  Each item in that room was chosen with a specific person and project in mind, as she rarely made an item to be kept for herself.  Becky stayed active coaching tennis in Mandan for more than twenty years and impacted the lives of hundreds of kids, not only teaching them the basics of tennis but life lessons that will never be forgotten. Becky will be remembered for her generosity and kindness, love for family, enthusiasm for life, and always being there for her friends and family. She touched many lives and leaves an emptiness that only love, and happy memories can fill.

Becky will be remembered and deeply missed by many including her husband, Brent Hilfer, Mandan; children, Lexie (Erik) Hokenstad, Billings MT, Corbin and Aliya, Mandan; her grandbabies, Lukas, Britta, and Emma; her two sisters, Tami (Brian) Gale, Bismarck, and Babbie (Pete) Vroman, Bellingham WA; brother, Randy (Dottie) Schmeling; and her father, Wallace Schmeling, Mandan.

Becky was preceded in death by her son, Travis Hilfer; daughter, Jennifer Dahl; and mother, Ardell Schmeling.