Ronald Arthur Hilke

Ronald Arthur Hilke July 18, 1954 – February 13, 2026 Identical twin baby boys were born in Tachikawa, Tokyo, Japan on July 18, 1954, near the US Air Force Base Yokota where Louis Hilke with his wife, Rita were stationed at the end of US involvement in the Korean War. They adopted those twin boys, naming them Ronald and Donald and brought them to live in the US as one-year-old toddlers when the family was transferred home in August 1955. Resettled in Las Vegas, the twins served as altar boys at the Catholic Shrine behind the Desert Inn Hotel on the strip. At age 9, they became naturalized citizens. Ron and Don attended Clark High School where Ron distinguished himself by participating with the Kiwanis Trivia Bowl Team. Upon graduation from Clark High in 1972, Ron and Don decided they would only be able to attend college by taking turns supporting one another by serving in the military. Ron lost a coin toss, so he joined the Army, and without announcing his plans, boarded a bus for boot camp. He trained briefly in Seattle, Washington before being stationed in Germany, where he served as Lieutenant in a tank division. After his four years’ Army service, Ron attended UNLV, joined the Sigma Nu Fraternity, and the Army National Guard, in which he continued to serve for many years. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics, while twin Don was away serving his military turn with the Marines, onboard the USS Midway. Ron then worked nights at UPS loading trucks while continuing to work on his master’s degree in business administration. Ron was working in the Public Works Department for the City of Las Vegas in 1989 when he was introduced by a mutual friend to his future wife, Debra. They married in 1990, and had their only child, Everett, in 1992. Ron also worked in the Accounting and Hard Count Departments of the Desert Inn Hotel, before he was recruited to do similar work at night for the Stratosphere Hotel. It was during those night shift years that Ron was asked by a close friend to become a Cub Scout Leader for a new pack at First Presbyterian Church; none of the boys’ own Dads were willing to lead. This experience was rewarding, so Ron continued volunteering as Den Leader once his own son reached Cub age. Many fun pinewood derbies and model rocket launches preceded the family moving on to a Boy Scout Troop where Ron served as Assistant Leader. He found great joy watching his son attain Eagle. Ron also worked to earn “Wood Badge,” a higher form of Boy Scout Leader training and recognition. Next, Ron returned to Government work for the State of Nevada, as an Auditor for the Department of Taxation, but he retired as a Management Analyst for the Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR). Ron then became an active member of the Summerlin Chapter of the Retired Public Employees of Nevada (RPEN). Numerous complicated health issues plagued Ron’s all too few retirement years. On Friday, February 13th , after four months’ suffering following several debilitating strokes, Ron found peace from unrelenting pain, thanks to Nathan Adelson Hospice. Ron was preceded in death by his adoptive parents, Rita Albanesi Hilke and Louis Hilke, and by his dearly beloved identical twin brother, Donald Anthony Hilke. He is survived by his younger brother Terry Hilke, by his wife of 36 years, Debra Hope Arrington, and by their son Everett Arrington Hilke. Upon his death, Ron enabled sight for someone through donation of his corneas, plus improved healing to many burn and accident victims via other gifts of himself to the Nevada Donor Network. His ashes will be interred near relatives in the Arrington family’s Memorial Garden at Palm Eastern Cemetery. At Ron’s request, no services are being held. In lieu of flowers or other tributes, the family requests a donation be made on behalf of Ron Hilke to the charity of your choice

Ronald Arthur Hilke

July 18, 1954 - February 13, 2026