The Rev. Victor N. Hillestad, 96, of Portage, passed away on Thursday, March 12, 2015, at Tivoli, in Portage.
Victor Norman Hillestad was born on Feb. 10, 1919, on a farm in Lodi to Lawrence and Tillie (Feton) Hillestad, the older of twins and the fourth of nine boys. He graduated from North Central Bible College in 1938. On March 8, 1941, he married Elsie Hyllberg. Three children were born to their union, Norman, Karen and Sandra.
Victor was an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God for more than 70 years.
He pastored three churches in Illinois, one in Michigan and five in Wisconsin. He also served as youth pastor in two churches in Wisconsin. In his semi-retirement, he served as visitation pastor for CrossPoint Assembly of God for 13 years, including prison ministry and conducting services at three assisted living homes in the Portage area until an illness necessitated his move to Tivoli. After a brief recovery period, he continued ministering at two of the assisted living homes until two weeks before his passing.
He is survived by his children, Norman (Pauline) Hillestad, of Georgia, and Sandra (Richard) Weishoff, of Portage; his son-in-law, Frank Liberato, of Florida; four grandchildren, Tami (Dale) Jahn and Tara (Chris) Huff, all of Florida, Stephanie (Todd) Christopher, of North Carolina, and Evan (Katie) Hillestad, of Georgia; his great-grandchildren, Lucy, Sadie, Kaitlyn, Kendall, Michael and Lauren; his brother, Don Hillestad, of Arizona; his sisters-in-law, Joyce Hillestad and Vivian Hillestad, both of Lodi; special niece and nephew, Betty and Harley Hansel; many other nieces and nephews, other relatives and many friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Elsie; his daughter, Karen Liberato; seven brothers and six sisters-in-law.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 21, 2015, at CrossPoint Assembly of God in Portage, with the Rev. Randy Mantik officiating. Burial will be held on Saturday at 4 p.m. in Spencer Lake Cemetery near Waupaca. Visitation will be held on Friday, March 20, 2015, from 4-8 p.m. at the Pflanz Mantey Mendrala Funeral Home in Portage, and on Saturday from 9-11 a.m. at the church.
Special thanks to Dr. Gerald Krumpos, nurses and aides on the Renaissance wing of Tivoli for their loving care of Dad, and to his devoted and faithful drivers, Ken Schwantz and Darryl Roland.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the family for a memorial to be decided at a later date.
