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Obituary: Hilmar Froening

Hilmar Froening
Provided Photo
Hilmar Froening

February 5, 1941 – November 28, 2020

Hilmar Froening passed away on November 28, 2020 at home, with his son, Eric and his wife, Pat at his side.

Hilmar was born on February 5, 1941 in Pabianice, Poland to Erich and Sophie Froening. In 1947, Hilmar, his sister Margit and his mother fled to West Germany, to be reunited with his father after the war. Hilmar grew up and attended school in Karlsruhe, West Germany. He and his family moved to the United States in 1957 and resided in Long Branch, New Jersey. He played soccer with the Sparta Soccer Club in the Shaffer Soccer League in New Jersey. He met his beloved wife, Patricia, after a game in 1962, and they were married on October 5, 1963.

In 1974, they came west for a ski trip with their ski club, and immediately fell in love with Steamboat. They sold their home and moved to Steamboat Springs in 1975, and Hilmar, who was a mason, went to work laying block on the new power plant in Craig. In 1981, he went into business for himself, which he operated until 2009, when his son Eric took over. Many of the homes throughout the Steamboat area rest on foundations constructed by Hilmar Froening Concrete and Masonry. He spent many of his winters driving for Alpine Taxi and Go Alpine.

Hilmar spent much of his free time in the outdoors in and around Steamboat. He especially enjoyed skiing, snowmobiling, hunting and riding his horses along with his three sons. In his later years, he enjoyed studying the bible, and learning about a time when God will “wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore.”

Hilmar was a wonderful, loving, husband and father. He will be greatly missed by his family and many longtime friends in Steamboat. He was preceded in death by his mother and father, his sister Margit, and his brother, Harry. He is survived by his sister Ushi, his loving wife Pat, three sons- Eric and his wife Jahna, Keith and his wife Leah, Kurt and his wife Chrystal, and two grandsons- Dakota and his wife Amanda, and Tristan.

The Steamboat Springs congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses will host a virtual memorial service on Saturday, December 12 at 1:00 PM.


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