Paul Hiltz

Paul James Hiltz, 89, died on January 21, 2025, at South Shore Hospital after a brief illness.

Paul was the Son of Harry F. Hiltz and Margaret (Carroll) Hiltz. He was predeceased by his brother Lester B. Hiltz and his sister Ethel M. (Hiltz) MacVicar.

He is survived by his loving life partner Linda E. Phippard of 15 years, his sons Charles A. Jenner and his wife Yany Perez, Paul J. Hiltz Jr and his wife Joanne, Lester K. Hiltz and his partner Raquel “Rocky” Brown,  Eric S. Hiltz and his partner Marie Gardner, his brother Harry F. Hiltz, his sister Carol B. Rowe, his grandchildren Eric Hiltz Jr., Alec Hiltz, Stephanie Hiltz, and Catherine and Daniel Alfonso-Jenner, his nieces Christine Macdonald, Linda Rowe, Sandra Conley, Darlene Hadfield, Donna Peterson, Marsha MacVicar, Paula White, Terry Hiltz, and his nephews Ross MacVicar, Gary Hiltz and Hal Hiltz.

Paul was born in Hingham at their family home on East Street. He grew up in Hingham and then Cohasset where his family later moved to Cedar Street. 

As a youngster he loved to rebuild bicycles, motorcycles, and cars. At 19 he enlisted in the National Guard Battery Division 704.  He transferred to the U.S. Army as Private 2nd Class and trained at Fort Dix, NJ. He was assigned to the Med Company, 87th Infantry, Special 3rd Class. After receiving medical training, he was transferred to Germany. Paul was honorably discharged after 3 years of service.  

After returning home, Paul’s first job was at DS Kennedy in Cohasset where he learned how to weld. Paul completed courses and became a Certified Welder. He was educated in Machine Shop, Shipyard Metallurgy and Blueprint reading.  As am experienced welder he worked at several manufacturing companies including General Dynamics Electric Boat in Connecticut, shipyards including Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, and Quincy Shipyard welding on Nuclear Submarines. He worked at power plants in Massachusetts and Puerto Rico including several Edison Power Plants, Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant and Puerto Rico Electric.  Paul’s Uncle Andy Aliquo encouraged him to join the Millwright Union Local #1121. As a Millwright he was able to work other trades including the Pile Drivers on the Boston University Towers and the South Boston Postal Annex, Ocean Spray, Proctor & Gamble. 

Paul worked with his dad building houses in Hingham. Over the years, he, his brother Harry and his nephew Ross worked together on home renovation projects. Paul liked to share his skills and teach others “how it’s done” and started his own Hiltz Construction Company. He was a jack of all trades and “fixer of everything”.  Paul loved renovating homes for customers, friends and family. Paul called himself “The Inventor”.  He made his own tools. His proudest was the Combo #3 and Combo #4 under his company name Designer Tools, Inc.. He built several recumbent bicycles one of which was his parade bike Miss Liberty.  Over the years you would see him riding Miss Liberty in parades like the Hingham July 4th parade and Plymouth St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Paul belonged to the Human Powered Association and participated with his bikes in competitions in Washington DC and Canada.

Paul lived in Hull for over 50 years, where he enjoyed raising his sons. His family meant the world to him. He was involved in his sons’ hockey league and started the Rockaway Annex Neighborhood Association. It wasn’t uncommon to see him riding his bike or scooter around town.  He loved to dance and took ballroom dance classes. Most Sundays in the summer you could find him dancing with Linda or his sister Carol at the Bernie King Pavilion, Nantasket Beach. He touched so many lives and will be forever missed.

Visiting hours will be held on January 30, 2025, from 5-7pm at Downing Cottage Funeral Chapel, 21 Pond Street, Hingham.

A graveside service with Military Honors will be on January 31 at 11am at the Woodside Cemetery, 555 North Main Street, Cohasset. Following the graveside service, friends and family are also invited to a reception celebrating Paul’s life and his 90th birthday he was so looking forward to at the Sons of Italy Lodge, 39 Kilby Street, Hingham at 12pm. 

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Paul Hiltz may be made be made to the American Heart Association at www.heart.org

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