LV Hilton

MANSFIELD -- LV Preston Hilton, 82, of Mansfield, died Thursday, January 5, 2007 in Arlington.  Graveside service: 2 PM Sunday at Moore Memorial Gardens, Arlington.  Memorials: First United Methodist Church; 777 North Walnut Creek Drive; Mansfield, TX 76063.  Born in Hartshorn, OK, on May 29, 1924, he attended schools in Pontotoc, OK, and Bromide, OK.  A retired oil drilling superintendent, Mr. Hilton worked for Phillips Petroleum Company (PPCO) for 38 years. Beginning as a derrick man in the Texas Panhandle in the 40s, he worked in nine states before a series of overseas assignments that covered two decades and service in Nigeria, Egypt, Norway, Ghana, Ivory Coast, The Congo, Spain, Newfoundland, Ireland and Indonesia.  Mr. Hilton was a significant leader in several world record-breaking drilling projects with PPCO, including the deepest well, in Fort Stockton, TX, in the late 50s. In the mid 70s, he went to Japan and Germany to help outfit the Discoverer Seven Seas drilling ship and later served as deep-water drilling supervisor on that vessel, setting world records in drilling depth. When PPCO partnered with the Norwegian government and other oil companies to drill in the North Sea off the coast of Norway, he was a leading member of that supervision team.  When he retired in the 80s, he made his home in Mansfield, enjoying golf and other activities at Walnut Creek Country Club. He was a member of First United Methodist Church. Mr. Hilton was preceded in death by Annie B. Hilton, his wife of 50 years; and four brothers and sisters.  Survivors: one son, Dr. Jerry L. Hilton and his wife, Gracie, Arlington; two granddaughters, Jennifer Hilton Sampson and her husband, Edward, Dallas; and Laura Hilton Hallmon and her husband, Ben, Mansfield; and one great-granddaughter, Catie Hallmon, Mansfield. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of LV Hilton please visit our Sympathy Store.