In Memory of Stuart Lee Hills `55

Stuart Lee Hills, 8/18/32 – 8/2/23. A devoted father, grandfather, husband, friend, civil rights activist, and acclaimed professor of Sociology at St. Lawrence University passed away peacefully in Sarasota, FL on August 2, 2023 at the age of 90.

One of four children of the late Frederic and Mildred Hills, Stuart was predeceased by his wife of 61 years Wilma, and is survived by his sons Darrick (Mary Ann Schoenberger), Marc and Michael (Laura McDonald), five grandchildren: Samuel, Elizabeth, Bridget, Matthew, Zaeda, and one great grandchild, Piper.

Born and raised in East Orange, New Jersey, Stuart spent most summers as a child with his beloved aunt and uncle in Vermont. After high school, Stuart found his way to Ohio where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the College of Wooster in 1955. It was at Wooster where he first met Wilma during an orientation exam when he asked his future wife to borrow a pencil. Years later it was revealed to his boys that their father had purposely broken his pencil as a ruse to speak with the lovely Wilma Smith. Stuart would go on to earn his Master’s and PhD in Sociology at Indiana University. Stuart held part-time teaching positions at Central Michigan University and Indiana, and became a father for the first time. 

In 1962, a full time position in the sociology department became available at Muskingum College in New Concord, Ohio where Stuart threw himself into his teaching, scholarly research, and raising three active sons. In 1971, Stuart accepted a faculty position at St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York where he was honored with multiple teaching awards, wrote four books in the fields of Criminology and Sociology, and served both the St. Lawrence and Canton communities with distinction until his retirement in 1994. During his tenure at St. Lawrence, Stuart was able to bring his family on his sabbaticals, including memorable stays in Seattle and at the American University in Leysin, Switzerland where he shared with his wife and young sons many memorable experiences in the Swiss Alps, as well as in France and Italy. A lover of sports throughout his life, Stuart was a constant presence at St. Lawrence hockey, football, and basketball games, and was always willing to let his three sons tag along. 

Stuart was at his best in the classroom where he thrived as a teacher and is still fondly remembered by his former students for his engaging lectures and for occasionally arriving to class in costume and beginning his lecture in full character. 

During Stuart’s time in northern New York, he was able to embrace his love of nature and the outdoors with frequent family snowshoeing, cross country skiing, sailing, canoeing, hiking, and camping trips in and around the Adirondack mountains. In retirement, Stuart focused his energies on wood carving and became a highly skilled carver with a special affinity for bird and holiday carvings. Stuart also took on the challenge of learning the craft of building wooden boats and successfully built a beautiful wooden Adirondack canoe and a sailboat that he affectionately named the Little Green Heron. 

After enduring the cold winters of the North Country for over two decades, Stuart and Wilma moved to Sarasota, FL to enjoy the sun and warmth on the Gulf Coast. Stuart was active with the Sarasota Sailing Squadron; he continued to enjoy his carving hobbies while also volunteering at the Pelican Man’s Bird Sanctuary and the Sarasota Audubon Nature Center where he served as a docent and authored “Birding Hotspots of Sarasota” so he could share his love of birding with the greater Sarasota community. Sarasota also proved to be a great starting point for the many cruises that he and Wilma enjoyed over their retirement years as well as a perfect vacation spot for visits by his children and grandchildren.

Stuart is greatly missed by his family, his former students and faculty colleagues, and the many friends that he made during his remarkably well-lived and impactful life. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be directed to the Sarasota Audubon Celery Fields Nature Center at sarasotaaudubon.org.

Posted in on August 10, 2023.