David (Dave) Carl Hileman (63) of Cincinnati, Ohio passed away peacefully on October 7th surrounded by his loving family, following a courageous battle with brain cancer. David was born in Newark, Ohio to Dolores Hawkins Hileman and the late Carl Monroe Hileman.

Dave was raised in Toledo, Ohio and graduated from Whitmer High School. He earned dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Pharmacy and Business Administration from Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio. Among the many things he participated in during his time at Ohio Northern, he was a Resident Advisor and Head Resident, a member of the cheerleading squad including as the Polar Bear mascot, and a proud brother in Sigma Phi Epsilon's (Sig Ep) Ohio Alpha Chapter.

It was at Ohio Northern where Dave met his soulmate and the love of his life, Melinda Durbin, whom he married on October 3, 1987. Their beloved alma mater and Polar Bear roots have remained a focal point of their life together.

During their 39 years of marriage, Melinda and David were blessed with two bright, curious, talented, strong, driven, and caring daughters, Miranda Hileman Staub (Dillon) and Annika Hileman. He loved and cherished his family above all else and fully embraced his role as a proud "Girl Dad." He was an avid sports fan, enjoyed downhill skiing and hiking, and was passionate about the fine arts. Dave had an appreciation for a wide array of musical genres, ranging from worship music to pop culture and everything in between. He particularly relished sharing in the girl's passions, namely theatre and dance. In support of their efforts, he was one of the founding board members of MAGIC, Inc. (Making Art Grow in Children), an organization in Louisville, Kentucky which supports enrichment and growth through the fine arts. His other true passion was the time he and his family spent together at their "happy place" on Lake Bellaire in Northern Michigan.

David started his professional career as a retail pharmacist, before moving into the business side of the pharmaceutical industry. During his 40-year career, he held a variety of managerial and executive roles within the healthcare services industry. A uniquely talented strategist and operational leader with an entrepreneurial spirit, David served as an executive and founding officer of two niche pharmaceutical start-up companies in Louisville, Kentucky: RxCrossroads (later purchased by OmniCare) where he served as Senior Vice President and PharmaCord where he served as Executive Vice President for eight years prior to his retirement in January 2025. David not only helped build and lead two extremely successful and impactful businesses, but he also touched thousands of lives through his servant leadership and unique blend of people-focus and business results.

Grounded in his roots, Dave was a faith-centered and principled man who was deeply devoted to his family and friends. He was wise, strong and fearless, yet kind and caring with a fun-loving spirit. Dave had an endearing, charismatic personality with a gift of making people feel valued and special. He was a true "life force" to many and those who knew and loved him are better for his presence in their lives.

Dave is survived by his beloved wife of 39 years, Melinda Durbin Hileman, two daughters that he cherished beyond measure, Miranda Hileman Staub (Dillon) of Alpharetta, Georgia and Annika Hileman of Chicago, Illinois, his mother, Dolores (Dee) Hileman of Cincinnati, Ohio, sister Leslie Hileman Pease (Steve), mother and father-in-law, Cora and Francis Durbin of Howard, Ohio, and numerous extended family members and friends. He was preceded in death by his father,Carl.

Calling Hours and Services

Calling hours/visitation for David will be held on Friday, October 9th, from 6-9 pm at John H. Evans Funeral Home in Milford, Ohio. Funeral mass will be conducted on Saturday, October 10th, at 11 am at St. John Fisher Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, with visitation starting at 10 am prior to the funeral mass. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to one of three foundations: Empower Her, an organization founded by a dear friend who is devoted to transforming young women's lives in Guatemala; The UC Brain Tumor Patient Care Fund via the University of Cincinnati Foundation; or, Network For Hope a nonprofit organ donation facilitation organization.

Links for Donation:

Empower Her

UC Brain Tumor Patient Care Fund

Network for Hope