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Remembrance Tea for Hildebrand on Sunday
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Barbara Marie Fitch Hildebrand’s lifelong passion was books and the library. Thousands of volunteer work racked up at the Manteca Public Library attest to that.

Betty Christy and the rest of the Friends of Library that she heads as president thought it fitting, therefore, to hold the memorial celebration in her honor in the John McFall Room of the library.

“The Remembrance Tea for Barbara Hildebrand” is set for Sunday, Sept. 29, from 2 to 4 p.m. It’s open to the public. A special invitation is sent to those who knew her and would like to share vignettes of the time they shared with the indefatigable library volunteer during the afternoon gathering.

Hildebrand passed away at her home on Aug. 28 at the age of 92. She was preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, Alexander, who died nearly two years ago at the age of 98.

“The funeral service was private, so this is the goodbye time for the community because she was so dedicated to the community,” said Christy who is the current president of the Friends of the Library to which Hildebrand belonged for many years.

“Everybody is asked to bring a little remembrance note to speak about Barbara,” she said.

Photographs of Hildebrand to be provided by her daughters, Mary and Janet, will be displayed during the afternoon celebration of life, Christy added.

A graduate of Stanford where she received her master’s degree in physical therapy, Hildebrand left her mark not only at the Manteca Public Library where she was a founding member of the Friends of the Library but in other places as well. When her daughters were attending Nile Garden Elementary School, she was a parent volunteer and, later, was tapped to set up a school library. She also worked tirelessly in the community effort to expand the existing library.

For all her contributions to the community, she was inducted into the Manteca Hall of Fame a few years ago.

For additional information about the Remembrance Tea for Hildebrand, call (209) 239-2522.

Visitors who are planning to attend the event are asked to use the Center Street side entrance to the library.