Eric Hilton, founder of Three Square Food Bank, dies at age 83

Eric Michael Hilton, who founded Three Square nearly a decade ago upon learning Clark County would soon be without a food bank, died in his sleep early Saturday morning at his Las Vegas home. He was 83.

The youngest son of Hilton Hotels Corp. founder Conrad Hilton, Texas native Eric Hilton was born July 1, 1933. He began working for his father’s company in 1949 and was promoted several times before retiring as vice chairman emeritus in 1997. He lived in multiple places including Las Vegas before becoming a full-time valley resident in 2013.

The hotelier-turned-philanthropist leaves behind a legacy of empathy, education and dedication to his community, having started the Las Vegas-based food bank in 2007 with his wife, Bibi.

“He went home sick one day, and he read in the news that the Clark County (Community) Food Bank was closing, and he said ‘Not in my city,’” said Anders Hansen, a program facilitator at Three Square and Hilton’s nephew. “He always wanted to help, always wanted to make a difference.”

The foundation, now a cornerstone of the effort to feed locals in need, distributes more than 40 million pounds of food and groceries to Lincoln, Nye, Esmeralda and Clark counties each year with the help of its roughly 1,300 community partners.

That’s about 30 million more pounds than the food bank collected in its first year.

Three Square CEO Brian Burton described Hilton as an active board member who constantly questioned the group about its future and wanted to help fulfill its needs.

On a visit to the food bank about two months ago, Hilton spent an hour talking to staff and thanking them in what Burton described as a beautiful moment.

“And then he stopped and looked around and said, ‘This is one hundred times more than I could have ever imagined it would be,’” Burton said.

Along with his other responsibilities, Hilton served as the director of the Little League Foundation of America for almost 45 years and was board chairman of the BEST Foundation for a Drug-Free Tomorrow. He was also director of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation until his death.

“He was one person who, when you met him, his personal stature lived up to his name,” said Andy Abboud, senior vice president for government at Las Vegas Sands Corp.

Abboud, who serves on Three Square’s board of directors, said Hilton was best described as “larger than life.”

Continuing his community pioneering in recent years, Hilton founded the Nevada Medical Center, an effort to create a comprehensive medical hub in Nevada similar to the economically prosperous Texas Medical Center in Houston.

Last year, he told the Las Vegas Review-Journal he believed institutions like the Texas Medical Center can transform the cities in which they’re anchored, and he envisioned a similar impact in Nevada.

“With the facilities that now exist here in the city, there’s no need for people to have to go outside the city to get their operations and medical treatments. The only thing that has been missing are super facilities,” he said at the time.

Burton said Hilton was more than a founder and patriarch, he was a mentor and confidant.

“He always warmed the room with compassion and just a real understanding and empathy,” Burton said. “In the last few years of his life he turned his attention from building a business empire to building up people’s lives.”

Diana Bennett, a past chairwoman and current member of the Three Square board, described Hilton as kind, whip-smart and a driving force behind the organization. Despite needing a wheelchair in recent years, Hilton wanted to remain actively involved in board business, she said.

“He was bound and determined to come to the meetings no matter how ill he became,” she said.

Bennett saw him for the last time in person at his birthday party this year, where they whispered to each other.

“I just told him I loved him and that it was great to see him,” she said.

A celebration of Hilton’s life will be held at Three Square on a date to be announced. Hilton’s family encouraged donations to Three Square in his honor in lieu of flowers.

Hilton is survived by his wife; older brother Barron Hilton; his four children — Eric M. Hilton, Jr., Beverly Hilton-Neapolitan, Linda Hilton-Buschini, Joseph Bradley Hilton; two stepchildren — Kirk Martin and Gary Martin; 11 grandchildren; and his two beloved dogs.

Contact Pashtana Usufzy at pusufzy@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4563. Find @Pashtana_U on Twitter. Contact Max Michor at mmichor@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Find @MaxMichor on Twitter.