May Her Memory Be Eternal

Sandra Dawn Essinger-Hileman, who lived her life serving others, died of a heart attack at home in Glen Mills, PA, on Wednesday, 24 February, following a recent coronavirus infection. She was 66.

Sandy was beloved by family, respected by colleagues, and cherished as a friend and mentor. Her personal hallmarks were the grace, kindness, patience, and genuine loving charm she left on the lives of many throughout the world.

One of Sandy’s greatest joys was building a life together with her husband, Doug. They met while both were students at Iliff School of Theology in preparation for ordained ministry. After a short courtship and a nine-month engagement, they married in June, 1980. During their pastoral careers, they founded and ran a food cooperative for other seminary students, pastored numerous local congregations, and helped found a support and advocacy group for clergy couples—helping to nurture it into a national organization.

They were particularly proud of their three children and two kids-in-law, Tom and his wife, Laura; Beth and her husband, Seth; and Laura. They both adored their three granddaughters, Zoe, Lucy and Erin.

Time with family brought great joy to Sandy.

She was an avid gardener, and shared that love with her family. All three kids remember many days as a young family spent tending, harvesting, and eating the produce from the garden.

Throughout her life, Sandy enjoyed time in the kitchen with the family. The time Sandy and Doug spent a-courtin’ included a dinner club for students at Iliff. She taught her children how to cook, and passed on many of her family recipes. And throughout their life together, Sandy and Doug were widely known for bringing together family, friends, colleagues and church members over good food and drink.

Sandy also instilled a love of reading in her children and grandchildren from an early age. Books and magazine subscriptions were common gifts to kids and grandkids alike, and books were a common discussion among the family.

Playing games with the family also delighted Sandy. Family game nights are traditions continued by all her children and grandchildren.

And Sandy loved music. She played piano, organ, and guitar. She sang with church choirs and at church camps. She passed along her love of music to her children; all three played in band in school. Her youngest daughter, Laura, has had Sandy’s guitar for some time, and often plays it for church youth groups and at church camp. All three of her grandchildren have been delighted by her singing of nursery rhymes, folk songs, and lullabies to them.

The oldest of four children, Sandy was born on 28 September 1954 at Madigan Army Hospital, Fort Lewis, WA, to Donald and Letha (Ross) Essinger. She grew up throughout the midwest in locations where her father worked as a manager with Hested and J.J. Newberry’s variety stores. In 1966, the family moved to Pocatello, ID, where Sandy spent the rest of her childhood years.

Sandy studied Economics at Idaho State University, in Pocatello. While finishing her studies there, Sandy heard a call from God to ordained ministry. In preparation, she earned the Master of Divinity degree from Iliff School of Theology in Denver, CO, in 1980. She was ordained as a Deacon in the Oregon-Idaho Conference of the United Methodist Church in 1979, and as an Elder in the Central Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church in 1985. She transferred into the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in 1997 and served various congregations in this denomination and the United Church of Christ.

While at Iliff, Sandy met fellow seminary student Douglas Jay Hileman, who also became an ordained minister in the United Methodist Church and Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). They married in 1980 and served congregations throughout central Pennsylvania, in western Pennsylvania, and in central Ohio for 27 years.

After a first career as a parish pastor, Sandy segued into a second career of service with Panera Bread, starting as the bakery opener and cashier in 2008 at the newly-opened store in Wayne, PA. After moving up through the ranks of the local store, she earned a promotion to supervisor, a position she held until her death.

In addition to her husband, children, and grandchildren, Sandy is survived by her parents, Donald and Letha Essinger; her siblings and their spouses, Michael and Martha Essinger, Helen and Kenneth Morse, and Tamara Essinger, and numerous nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her brother, James Essinger.

A memorial service was held via Zoom under the auspices of Birmingham Friends Meeting. Arrangements are currently being made to allow anyone to watch it. To keep alive and further the work that she was doing during her life, her children established a memorial fund; the family asks that you consider a donation to Sandy’s Memorial Fund.