Randall Lee Hileman

Obituary of

Randall Lee Hileman

Randall Lee Hileman, age 77, of Lamar, Missouri passed away June 30, 2024, at Cox Barton County Hospital in Lamar, MO.

Randall was born November 19, 1946, in Hays, Kansas to Vane Lawrence Hileman and Marjorie Leora (McKinley) Hileman. On August 8, 1970, Randall married Darlene Marie Schoenberger in Oakley, Kansas. Together they raised three children, Bob Petersen, Anita Petersen and Tod Hileman.

Randall or Randy, as friends called him, had many different jobs during his lifetime. He went to engineering school to work on the Eisenhower Tunnel in Colorado. He was a police officer for the city of Colby, KS. After he and Darlene were married, they had a multi-truck trucking company. He worked for the S&T Telephone Company for many years. From his knowledge of telephone work, Randy started Tel-Rec, a company that removed telephone lines as they were being placed underground. Randy and Darlene bought a ranch close to Atwood, KS in the 70s where they had one of the top 10 largest buffalo herds in the US. They called the ranch The Three Arrows Ranch. It was there that Randy bought a helicopter and learned to fly, as they used the helicopter to help them round up antelope in NW, Kansas to be transplanted into other states. As part of the ranch work, Randy and Bob did custom haying for many neighbors around the area. Randy and Darlene sold the ranch in 1984.

Around that time, Randy acquired the original blueprints for all models of Gatling guns from the Gatling family. He then began buying and restoring Gatling guns where he sold them to many different collectors. One of the more prominent collectors he sold to was Hank Williams, Jr., who he continued a friendship with until Randy passed. Because of his knowledge of historical guns, Randy was hired by the Guatemalan government to help sell many of heir historical weaponry. Being a Gatling gun expert, Randy was contacted by many journalist where his input was a part of numerous articles written about the Gatling guns. During this time, Randy also began working for the CIA as an independent contractor. This work took him all over the world as he helped eliminate drug trafficking into the United States.

Randy raced sprint cars, and in 1991 during the start of a race, he had a major heart attack. Shortly after the heart attack, he and Darlene purchased and ran a marina north of Enders Lake in Nebraska called Laker's Bait and Tackle. In 1998, they then built a marina/restaurant by the Trenton, NE Lake called Laker's Northshore Marina. They sold the Enders business to devote needed time to the Northshore property. A few years later, they sold the Trenton property and moved back to Enders where they built Drover's Ranch Supply. They sold that property after a couple of years and Randy began managing the property for his uncle and cousin.

Randy and Darlene moved to Lamar, MO in June of 2019. After moving to Lamar, Randy began driving for different ones in the Amish community. He cherished the relationships developed with many in that community and spoke endearingly of them with much love and respect. In February of 2020, after nearly 50 years of marriage, Darlene passed from respiratory failure. Randy missed her greatly and talked about his love for her and his family up until the time of his death.

Survivors include two sons, Robert Petersen (Julie) Petersen of Lamar, MO, and Tod Lee (Jessica) Hileman of Hays, KS; seven grandchildren, Micah (Madi) Petersen of Tulsa, OK, Caleb (Brittany) Petersen of Lamar, MO, Seth (Jasmin) Petersen of Joplin, MO, Levi (Daniela) Petersen of Salt Lake City, UT, Kursti Hileman of Denver, CO, Feyden Hileman of Hays, KS, and Jude Randall Hileman of Hays, KS; three great grandchildren, Alia Petersen, Luca Petersen and Eli Petersen; and one sister, Judy Layton of Oden, AR.

Randall was preceded in death by his wife, Darlene; his parents; one daughter, Anita Rose and one brother Larry Hileman.

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, August 3, 2024, at Lamar Family Ministries Center.

Contributions are suggested and made payable to Lamar Family Ministries Center in care of Daniel Funeral Home.

Condolences may be shared at www.dfhlamar.com.