Hilda Milicov Tuler 1926–2001
Hilda was born in the Boyle Heights area of East Los Angeles.
During the Depression, her mom went to work as a seamstress.
She had hated housework and staying home anyhow, so she
ended up loving her full-time job. Hilda’s dad painted houses.
When work was scarce, he would hop a freight train to Chicago,
where the economy was better, and stay for months, sending
money home.
Since Hilda was the youngest of the five children, all the
mischief in the house was blamed on her, and she remembered
that she never, ever had any new clothes, only hand-me-downs
that never fit! Hilda was only five when her mom went to work,
so she was cared for by the landlady and also by her older sister
Ethel. Hilda loved being with Ethel and her boyfriend Leo,
because Leo had a Model T and he’d let Hilda sit in the rumble
seat and go for rides. Ethel and Leo married in 1935, and they
took Hilda and her sister Judy along on their trips, which were
the only vacations she enjoyed as a youngster.
The war came and went. When she was 19, Hilda met Sam on a
blind date. Hilda and Sam enjoyed the post-war years, going
dancing in the many clubs in the Hollywood area, and finally
getting married about a year later in a little chapel near the
Ambassador Hotel. Neither family had much money, and she
remembered that Sam’s dad was a junk peddler who was ‘sort
of tight,’ so it was a nice, simple wedding.
A couple years later, Sam and his brother Ben bought a furniture
store in Hawthorne, and Sam and Hilda settled into a cute,
brand-new house nearby. The house was right next to the train
tracks, and rattled all day long, but Hilda loved it. Furniture
was a great post-war business, and the store did well.
Hilda and Sam adopted Robert in 1957, and unbeknownst to
them, they were also pregnant with Nancy. Bruce came along j:l
year and a half later, and with three small kids in tow, they , ,
opened a second store in Torrance, and moved up to Palos : , , r’ .
Verdes, first to a house on Basswood A venue and then ending-up 1:~·
on Pony Lane in 1964. The house was twice as big, with twice as
much land, and some of the relatives thought they were crazy to
pay $55,000 for it. Hilda didn’t like all the stairs, but decided it
would make for good exercise! Jerry and Jon were born soon after
and they settled into suburban life in Rolling Hills Estates.
Tragedy struck when Sam died suddenly of a heart attack in 1972.
The following year brought further grief with the death of Bruce.
Yet through it all, Hilda remained sweet and strong. She managed
to maintain the family home and made sure that each of her four
children graduated from college.
In 1989, Hilda was diagnosed with lymphoma. Despite a difficult
treatment regimen, she maintained good spirits and made a
seemingly full recovery. With her health back and her children
independent, Hilda was able to indulge her passions for traveling,
dancing, reading, and horticulture. She especially enjoyed any
trips involving gardens or family. She made many friends
through her folk dancing, traveling and senior clubs.
Sweet, giving and loving partially describes our mother. Add
respectful, adventurous and fun-loving, and you start to get an
idea of what a truly wonderful lady Hilda was. It is hard,
however, to paint a complete picture using only words. The
essence of her beauty was felt by those she touched, and her
unconditional love was always a great comfort to her family.
We feel so fortunate to have had her as our mother. We love you,
~mom.
You will be deeply missed.My grandma had the sweetest smile and the most loving
and fun-filled personality. She was always ready for a new
adventure. I will miss hearing her stories and feeling her love.’’
Amanda
I love my Grandma when she
played Lego racers and played
cards with me. She bought me
things because she loved me a
lot. Also I love you Hilda
because you love me.”
Sam
Hilda was always very
easygoing and very positive.
She was always up
for a day of excitement.
I will miss her very much’’
Andrew
My Grandma, maybe not by blood, but by heart.
I loved the way you smiled when words weren’t enough
I loved the way your voice called out, barely more than a whisper,
but could be heard from anywhere.
I loved the words you had to say when times were tough
They were encouraging to the soul and to the mind.
Your strength and attitude impressed me.
You never gave up, no matter how hard times got.
I know you cared a Jot about your own health,
but you were more concerned about others.
Nothing will change the way I feel about you.
Thank you for the wonderful years you have given to me -the
visits, the words, and the kindness.
Angela 1926–2001
