ILION - Hilda Filkins Royce, age 89 died at Mohawk Valley Nursing Home, Ilion, on Friday January 23, 2004, with her loving family by her side. She had resided at the Mohawk Valley Nursing Home for seven years. She was a former resident of The Mohawk Homestead and lived for many years in Jordanville. Hilda was born on October 21, 1914 in Deck, town of Stark, daughter of the late Burton and Lillian Mathise Filkins. She graduated from Richfield Springs High School with the class of 1932. On June 6, 1936 she married Lewis Eugene Royce in the Richfield Springs Presbyterian Church with whom she shared a wonderful life of 52 years, until his passing on March 4, 1989. She worked as a postal clerk in the Jordanville Post Office for many years. Hilda was a member of the Jordanville Federated Church for seventy-three years and the church Ladies Aid Society, the Town of Warren Historical Society and the Friends of the Jordanville Public Library, Survivors include one son, Robert Royce and his wife Gail of West Winfield, one daughter, Carole Bennett and her husband Grover of Mohawk, five grandchildren, Kenneth Bennett and his wife Gina of Fairland, IN, Kyle Bennett of Mohawk, Daniel Bennett and his wife Gail of Mount Lake Terrace, WA, Jolene Bryant and her husband, James, of Savannah, GA, Jeffrey Royce of Rome, seven great grandchildren, Dalton and Connor Bennett, Justin, Bryan and Kari Bennett, and Thomas and Lauren Bennett. Three sisters, Hazel King, Mabel Harter, Mildred Kitts, and a brother Gordon Filkins predeceased her. Hilda was a descendent of Delina Ecker Filkins, her paternal great grandmother, who at one time was listed as the oldest living woman, and lived to be 113 years old. A memorial service will be held on Tuesday January 27th, at 2:00 PM in the Jordanville Federated Church. The Reverend Scott Hocking, Church Pastor and the Reverend James Barnes will officiate. Mrs. Royce will be laid to rest in the family plot of Highland Rural Cemetery at a later time convenient to the family. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made to the Jordanville Federated Church, Jordanville Public Library, Jordanville, NY, Mohawk Valley Nursing Home, 99 6th Ave, Ilion, NY 13357 or The Mohawk Homestead, 62 E Main St., Mohawk, NY 13407. The family wishes to express their heartfelt thanks to the staff of the Mohawk Valley Nursing home for their love and compassion for Hilda over the many years she was a resident there. Thanks are also extended to her many friends and also the members of the Jordanville Ladies Aid Society, for their cards, visits and continued support.