Rosa "Rose" Davis Hillenbrand

Rose Hillenbrand, 84, passed away at Kingston Sylvania on December 6, 2019, with her son Eric by her side. Born April 23, 1935, the eldest of twelve to Juan and Mercedes Davis in Cotulla, Texas, Rose worked with her family as migrant farmers from Texas to Ohio. Settling in Clyde, Ohio as a teenager, she worked as an aide at the Villa Maria Sanatorium, where she met her husband, carpenter Ernst Hillenbrand.  The Hillenbrands made their home in Fremont, Ohio, where she worked as a nursing assistant at the community hospital before embarking upon her next career, rearing a family of four. Between trips to Europe to visit Ernst’s family, Rose assisted her husband in his business, the Fremont Ballet School. The marriage ended in 1983. Rose eventually relocated to Toledo, Ohio to live with her eldest, Eric.

Rose proudly became a partner in Eric’s company, Hillenbrand Investment Properties, in 1984, assisting in myriad tasks, most notably as the gracious hostess of 20 North Gallery, where she was beloved by tenants, artists and patrons, alike. Her elegant style, her sumptuous buffets and her endearing stories accrued many friends at gallery receptions. In later years, she enjoyed the vista from her river-view home above the gallery, as she dabbled—just for the fun of it—in new creative adventures: children’s literature and illustration, oil painting and poetry. 
She was preceded in death by her parents; her brothers Raymond, John and Joe Davis; and sisters Cecilia Ferguson and Teresa Fultz.

Rose is survived by her brothers Jesse, Gregory and Roy Davis; sisters Maria Norman, Dora Byers and Diana Baker; sons Eric (Condessa Croninger) and Karl Hillenbrand; daughters Lisa (Chris) Magi and Margot (Don Reder) Hillenbrand; grandchildren Joe, Greg (Brittany) and Giselle (Michael Shoemaker) Munoz; her California grandsons Jamie, Tanner and Trevor Andrzejewski; great-grandsons Julian and Valentino Munoz; many in-laws, nieces and nephews, as well as a host of dear friends. 

Friends will be received on Monday, December 16 at 20 North Gallery, 18 N. St. Clair Street, Toledo, Ohio 43604 from 4 – 7 p.m. A funeral Mass is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Tuesday, December 17, at the Historic Church of St. Patrick, 130 Avondale Ave. (downtown Toledo), interment to follow at Woodlawn Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that friends try a new creative endeavor—not to achieve perfection, but to gain a greater appreciation for talents they admire.

Written condolences to Rose’s family may be sent to 20 North Gallery. 

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