Steve Hilsz, Director of EPD Laboratories, Inc., passed away in the early morning hours of March 1, 2026 at the age of 81 at Hospice of the Valley in Surprise, Arizona.
Those who followed the live calls with Eric Dollard knew Steve as the legendary “Glom Meister” — the man behind the famous Glom Locker, an extraordinary collection of vintage surplus parts that made many of the EPD Labs projects possible. Steve spent years working in the surplus industry and had a gift for sourcing the exact components needed — things that simply can’t be found anymore through normal channels. Eric Dollard knew Steve for years, and many of the critical items that made EPD Labs’ work in the electrical sciences a reality came directly from Steve’s expertise and connections.
Steve was born in San Francisco, California on January 20, 1945. After graduating from Galileo High School, he earned an Electronic Technician Aide degree from Heald College. He became a renowned expert and author in the field of antique telephone restoration and wiring, running his own business, VTS Industrial. Before starting his own company, he worked for the local telephone company in Salome, Arizona. He was known among collectors as a “friend of the collector,” specializing in repairing rotary dials and sourcing hard-to-find parts for vintage projects. He was a member of the Antique Telephone Collectors Association and the Telephone Collectors International.
Steve’s passion for restoration extended well beyond telephones and radios. He was equally captivated by naval and industrial history, often working aboard decommissioned warships and destroyers, salvaging precious metals as a hands-on hobby. This rare combination of meticulous detail and bold exploration reflected his lifelong curiosity and love of understanding how things were built. That same curiosity and generosity is what brought him into the world of EPD Laboratories, where his contributions were indispensable.
He married Barbara Cornell on June 7, 1969 in Hornitos, California. They remained married for nearly 57 years.
Steve was an avid reader and loved music. He and Barbara loved going to concerts and going out to dinner. He had a remarkable breadth of knowledge and could strike up a meaningful conversation with anyone. Curious by nature, he never stopped learning and enthusiastically embraced each new wave of technology, all while cherishing his love of antiques.
He is survived by his wife, Barbara Hilsz; his daughter, Lori (Hilsz) Shueman; his grandchildren, Alexander Shueman and Molly Shueman; and his sisters, Carol Crowell and Barbara Warda.
There will be no funeral service. If you’d like to share a memory of Steve, the family has set up a page through Surprise Funeral Care: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/surprise-az/steve-hilsz-12769427
Steve’s kindness and generosity touched many lives. He will be deeply missed by the entire EPD Labs and energy science community.
