Hilde T. Boykin

Hilde was born in Germany on January 31, 1929. She died on January 17, 2022 at the age of 92 in her home in Glenwood Landing, NY.

Hilde lost her mother at age 16 the day before the war ended. She lost her Brother Fritz in the war and lost touch with her brother Willie who she heard immigrated to France. She did her best to care for herself and younger Sister Herta as her father remarried shortly after her mother’s death but things became difficult in so many ways. She found work as live-in help and survived.

 In 1952 she was working for the Bergman family. The husband was a watchmaker who had met a US Soldier bringing in a watch for repair and liked him so much that he thought Hilde should meet him. Hilde said she was very hesitant to do so because there was a stigma attached to associating with US Soldiers as a young lady nonetheless a black soldier… but Mr. Bergman was persistent and offered to chaperone and translate so she agreed. That is the story of how Hilde met the love of her life George.

September 11, 1953 George and Hilde married. They lived for a while with her in-laws and worked hard so that they could afford a place of their own. When they had scrimped enough money together to find an apartment, they were met with many “no longer available” as soon as it became evident that they were an interracial couple. They persisted and soon saved enough to buy their first home in Jamaica, Queens near the airport. Hilde became a US citizen in 1961. By 1963 they moved out to the country – which was Brentwood at the time. George had established a career with the Medical Examiner’s office and Hilde continued to work long hours knitting socks on a knitting machine down in the basement. She got paid by the piece and although she hated making those socks, her love of knitting by hand grew. She knitted little twirly skirts for her daughter Tracey and many, many sweaters for George and friends. By 1978 they moved to Selden, NY and George was thriving working at Stony Brook University. They say behind every successful man there is a strong, hardworking and wise woman. Hilde was all that and more. Hilde supported George’s many civic and community activities.  Hilde worked as a cashier and did some factory work. She continued knitting for leisure. She would knit hundreds of baby caps to donate to hospitals for preemies. Hilde was a perfectionist and had an eye for detail. She sold some sweaters on her own until her work was noticed by designer Reza who sold her handmade sweaters to Saks 5th Ave and Bloomingdales. Eventually George asked her to settle in as a homemaker.

In the early eighties they found a family with the AME Bethel Church in Setauket. Hilde enjoyed her stewardship and formed so many lasting friendships. She had a special bond with Teresa who both described their relationship as friend, Mother/Daughter, Sister and Guardian Angel. They would spend hours on the phone each week.  Hilde has three surviving nieces in Germany – Marion, Margaret and Diana.

With George’s health failing, they eventually moved to an apartment in East Moriches and Hilde cared for him until his death in 2009. Pastor Leonard and many of you were a support to her. She enjoyed the friendship of neighbors Carole and Richard, Kim, Joann and Frank.

In 2017 Hilde would move one more time to come live with her daughter Tracey in Glenwood Landing. Hilde was a feisty independent woman who was a fighter to the end. Her personality was fun and quirky, at times trying but she loved deeply. She enjoyed time with her Granddaughters Danielle and Georgiana, her great granddaughters Zoe and Sofia. Although already gravely ill, she was able to pull herself together to attend Sofia’s Christening in November and spend time with them at Christmas.  

She had the support of a wonderful home health aide Maria who for 8 months spent 10 hours a day with her, caring for her as if she were family. Her Son in law Stephen spent time with her every day and transported her to many appointments.

 Hilde loved and was loved. Our Father has taken her home now to be with George.