Peter “Pete” Scott Hill, 81, of Great Falls, passed away on Sunday, July 1, 2018. Cremation has taken place under the care of Croxford Funeral Home. Born to Viola (Lachance) and Ansel “Pete” L. Hill of Augusta, ME on June 20, 1937, Pete attended schools in Augusta and finished high school at MCI in Pittsfield, Maine.
He joined the USAF in 1957 and made it a career until retirement in 1979. He was assigned to jet aircraft maintenance working mostly on the B57 with several years devoted to the F100 and F4 aircraft. Pete was made a technical training school instructor in 1966 and later became a master instructor and superintendent of the B57 Field Training Detachment at MAFB.
He met his wife, Kathleen “Kathy” Margaret McDonough while stationed at Hill AFB Ogden, UT in 1961. Pete was later transferred to Hahn AB, Germany where he took leave to Ogden, UT in December 1962 and they married on the 29th. Kathy followed him back to Hahn AB a couple of months later.
While at Alconbury RAF they applied to the Crusade of Rescue to adopt a child. In the spring of 1969 their efforts were rewarded with the adoption of Michael Anthony Hill, aged four months. From Alconbury RAF Pete was assigned to Ubon RTAFB, Thailand in the spring of 1970.
Kathy stayed with her parents in Ogden, UT. Pete took a 30-day military leave in October 1970 from Ubon. During this time, they applied to adopt another child with an agency in SLC, UT.
Shortly after Pete’s return to Ubon, Kathy and her mother drove to SLC to pick up their second son, David John Hill. Pete was very proud of his sons and their achievements in life. Both have highly successful careers and families to be proud of.
While stationed at MAFB Pete began pursuing continuing education culminating in two Associate degrees from the Community College of the Air Force and a B.S. Degree in Business Administration from the College of Great Falls. After retiring from the USAF in 1979 he worked for the State of Montana Department of Labor and Industry for 17 years until retiring in 1997. Then he was hired as an independent contractor to conduct educational guidance counseling at the education office at MAFB.
He decided to retire completely in the fall of 1999. Golf became his passion in 1997 and he enjoyed many hours spent with friends on the various courses. He was a life member of VFW Post 1087.
Pete was an avid outdoorsman until his later years. In 1972 when stationed at MAFB he was introduced to the game of racquetball and squash. These were his winter month’s passion.
He continued to play racquetball well into his seventies and was a well-known entity at the base gym. He and his wife bowled together for many years garnering many trophies and championships along the way. He loved sports cars and was lucky enough to have owned three.
The first was a 1953 MGTD in 1959. In 1996 he bought a 1989 Toyota Supra Turbo. The final acquisition was a new 2008 bright red Corvette coupe which became highly modified over the ensuing years into his dream car, a 550hp high performance sports car that could tangle with the best.
He was a member of the local Corvette Club where he made several friends and enjoyed many outings often accompanied by his wife. Pete became interested in digital photography and has several of his works displayed in various homes and businesses. He said, “These pictures and collages provide treasured visual memories”.
Survivors include sons, Michael (Tara) and David (Julianne); five grandchildren; two nephews and two nieces. Donations can be made to any food bank, meals on wheels program, St. Vincent DePaul, Salvation Army or the Great Falls Rescue Mission.
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