Stephen Hill

Stephen G Hill, known by many as “Hill”, began attending Fort Collins Friends Meeting in 2014.

Hill was born in Oklahoma City, OK, to Cletius and Betty (Minyard) Hill on February 6, 1949. He was surrounded by family and friends when he passed away, in the Poudre Valley Hospital, on December 10, 2023. He courageously lived with rheumatoid arthritis for 23 years and continued to carry mail for 15 years after the onset of rheumatoid arthritis.

While folk dancing in 1987, he met his beloved future wife, Julie Fair. Hill and Julie were married in LaPorte, CO in 1993 and had a son, Zachary (Zack). Hill was dedicated to and loved his family. Hill was a devoted father to Zack, and it was Hill who brought Zack to the Fort Collins Friends Meeting to attend the active youth group.

Soon after Hill began attending the Meeting for Worship himself, Hill’s phone rang in the silence. As he was reaching to shut off his phone, another Friend sitting nearby, whispered, “No worries, here you can hardly make a mistake!” After hearing this, Hill knew that this was the place he wanted to be on Sunday mornings. His wife, Julie, also began attending Meeting.

Hill was well known for the interesting conversations he would initiate during social hour after Meeting for Worship. He also volunteered with Faith Family Hospitality and spent many a night sleeping in churches as an overnight host ensuring the guest families’ needs were taken care of.

In the last few years, due to rheumatoid arthritis and decreased mobility, it was difficult for Hill to attend Meeting for Worship in person, but sometimes he would join our Meeting for Worship virtually via the Peace Chapel with his wife, Julie, from home. One of the last Friends Meeting’s activities in which he able to participate was a small writing group that met at the Poudre Old Town Library. Those who attended loved to hear the stories he wrote, so full of humor and wit and often with drawings. It was good we were in a small room with doors so the laughter from the group did not escape into the quiet library open space.

A standing-room-only Memorial Service was held on Sunday, January 28, 2024, at Avogadro’s Number, a local Fort Collins restaurant. Avo’s was one of Hill’s favorite hangouts where he would take his various pens and pencils to write, draw, and compose jokes. His family and many friends at the memorial characterized him as humorous, witty, courageous, one of the kindest men they knew, poignant observer of life around him, and loving family member. We will miss his sparkling eyes, humor, and kind heart.