BELMONT - Hilda A. Doerler Whitney, 80, passed away Friday (Dec. 25, 2015) unexpectedly at her home. Born July 31, 1935, at Jones Memorial Hospital, Wellsville, Hilda was predeceased by her parents, Karl and Helene (Ziegler) Doerler. On Aug. 15, 1959, Hilda married Robert "Bob" Whitney. Their five children are John (Laura) Whitney of East Aurora, Kathryn (William) Lucey of Middletown, R.I., James (Patricia) Whitney of Belmont, Donald (Sharon) Whitney of Willowick, Ohio, and Michael Whitney of Belmont. Her grandchildren are Aleah (Michael) Kirchner, Brian Whitney, Bradley Whitney, William Lucey IV, Tucker Lucey, Benjamin Whitney, Lief Whitney (deceased) and Simon Whitney; and step-grandsons, Jacob Grisewood and Joseph (Katelyn) Grisewood. At her 80th birthday celebration, Hilda had an opportunity to meet her first great-grandchild, Cameron, son of Aleah and Michael. Hilda is also survived by siblings William (Patricia) Doerler of Pennington, N.J. and Ilse (John "Al") Kitchen of Munds Park, Ariz.; and many nieces and nephews. She remained in close contact with extended family in Germany and Austria. She attended Friendship Central School and Buffalo State College where she studied home economics education and sang in the college choir. She taught briefly at Mexico High School and at the former Belmont Central School; and was a regular substitute teacher at Belmont for many years, in addition to working with Bob on their extensive flower gardens and Feathers Creek Road sheep farm. Many Belmont elementary students had their first up-close experience with lambs and other farm livestock through school trips to visit Hilda at the farm. Hilda loved her flower gardens nearly as much as she loved babies. She was a seamstress and always had dozens of knitting or crocheting projects in various stages of completion. Hilda was a strong supporter of 4-H, teaching sewing and judging apparel or cooking entries at the Allegany County Fair for many, many years. She volunteered countless hours serving the Jones Memorial Hospital Auxiliary as a member of the Lilac Twig and was the auxiliary's secretary. Hilda was an active member of St. Phillip's Episcopal Church in Belmont and was a coordinator of the annual rummage until the church recently closed. She became an active member of St. John's Church, Wellsville, after St. Phillip's closed. Friends are invited to call from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday (Dec. 29, 2015) at J.W. Embser Sons Funeral Home Inc., 17 Schuyler St., Belmont. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday (Dec. 30, 2015) at St. John's Episcopal Church, 12 East Genesee St., Wellsville. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Jones Memorial Hospital Auxiliary.