Victor Hilarov

Victor R. Hilarov, age 90, entered God's loving embrace on September 7, 2022. Beloved husband of the late Michele Cody. Loving father to Tanya (Chuck) Kendall and Cecily Nicole (Tom) Laycock. Proud "Gramps" of Lauren (Nick) Wilsens, Kristin Kendall, Matthew Kendall, Joshua Kendall, Jordan (Chelsea) Laycock, Natalie (Jacob) Herren, and Alysia Laycock. Caring great grandpa of Aidan, Beckett, and Sawyer Wilsens; Emmett and Hayes Laycock; and Landon, Henry and Finley Herren. Also survived by many relatives including in Costa Rica, Russia, and Germany as well as friends around the world. Preceded in death by his parents Victor A. and Fresia (nee Brenes Carrillo) Hilarov as well as by his siblings Ana Maria and Nicholas Hilarov. Vic was born on February 26, 1932 in Chicago, growing up in Evanston, Illinois and Milwaukee (Bayview), Wisconsin where he graduated from Bayview High School. He received his bachelors in engineering and a masters in literature from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He received his PHD in Philosophy in Paris, France. Vic was a Korean Army veteran stationed in Japan as a medical technician. Vic taught locals the English language in exchange for the opportunity to learn and experience their Japanese culture, language, food and to travel around Japan with new found friends. His appreciation of Japanese culture remained a large influence throughout his life. Vic's sense of adventure led him, as a college student, to create and organize tours throughout Europe and Central/South America for other students. This love of travel and desire to learn about the world firsthand helped change Vic's career as an assistant professor into a career developing his own travel companies, which were revolutionary in arranging group charter travel adventures around the world. Later in life, Vic organized foreign travel trips for CEO's interwoven with unique business perspectives. Vic traveled often for pleasure, visiting over 70 countries throughout his lifetime. Vic passed on his love of travel adventure to his family whom he took on trips to visit relatives and some of his favorite places in the world. Vic's passion for sports led to many facets of his personal and professional life. There didn't seem to be a sport that he couldn't do well, lettering in 4 sports in high school and excelling in many throughout life. Some of his favorites were running, skiing, tennis and racquetball, golf and especially rugby. After seeing Rugby played in France, Vic was hooked and brought the game to the Midwest. Vic played rugby as halfback and captain from 1961-1977. Vic was a founder and the first president of following: Wisconsin Rugby Football club 1962; Midwest Rugby Football Union 1964; Milwaukee Rugby Club 1967 and USA Rugby Football 1975. Vic created a pathway from club teams to organize the national Eagles team and presided over the United States' first international game against Australia in 1976. Vic took an American team to the World Club Championship in Pretoria, South Africa. Vic was inducted into the U.S. Rugby Hall of Fame in 2013. A highlight of Vic's rugby career was receiving a surprising invitation from the Queen of England to attend a garden party dinner in Washington as one of two figures representing American sportsmen...the other was Muhammed Ali. Vic's love of sports and the arts spun into another career as a management consultant to help major cities (Vancouver, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Chicago, New York, and Seattle) create and operate new sport events and art festivals. Vic laid the groundwork for a new professional basketball league in South Africa, including introduction of local basketball clubs. In his free time, he even spent several seasons coaching his granddaughters' softball teams. Vic could often be found at the local YMCA, where he immersed himself in fitness and organized successful golf tournaments and co-founded the Milwaukee Hash House Harriers. Vic was a voracious reader and movie-goer, often having long talks with others about the books and movies. Even from a young age, he enjoyed theater, art and music which he was always ready to share with family and friends by taking them to many musical and theatrical productions and museums/art shows. He created a variety of song, dance, theatrical performances (usually involving everyone else) to share at Thanksgiving dinners and special occasions. Although he didn't really consider art one of his talents, Vic sketched various landmarks in the margins of his diaries, scrap paper, and on napkins when he traveled in foreign countries as a young man. Later he drew a number of cartoon-like characters often creating his own cards. He even wrote and illustrated books for his daughters when they were little. Later he designed many of the logos for the various sports events he was organizing. Another of Vic's passions was nature. As a very young child, he was often found sitting with little wild birds perched on his hand or rabbits or other creatures near him. He enjoyed the outdoors and often said one of his favorite places in the world was his own little corner of the world- Grant Park in South Milwaukee. Little animals/birds in need often seemed to find Vic, whereupon he would recruit the help of his daughter to try to rehabilitate them back to good health. Even in his final weeks on earth, he had turkeys following him down his driveway, scared baby squirrels fallen from their nest in his front yard, and deer staring in his front door. Vic always said his greatest passion in life was his family and friends. He created many "magic moments" for so many of the people he met in his everyday life with a number of them becoming lifelong friends. A celebration memorial will be held on October 1, 2022 at Cliffside Park- shelter #1 from 1-4pm. (7320 Michna Rd., Racine, Wisconsin). Veteran honors planned for 2pm. Any donations in memory of Victor Hilarov will be made to " The Park People MKE- Friends of Grant Park ", South Milwaukee.