Obituary: Steve Hills

Steven Paul “Steve” Hills, 67, of Cloquet passed away on July 25, 2024, peacefully overlooking Leech Lake at NorthStar Camp, his favorite place. Steve was born Dec. 11, 1956, to Daniel and Ardelle (Randall) Hills of Cloquet, where he grew up. Steve graduated from Cloquet High School in 1975.

Over the course of his life, Steve worked at the Cloquet hospital starting as a janitor and eventually working in the engineering department.

He later joined his father and uncle in the pipefitting trade, installing fire protection sprinkler systems.

Steve embarked on his firefighting career when he attended Lake Superior College’s Fire Fighting School and EMT program. He spent five years with the Duluth Fire Department. He achieved his ultimate goal when he was hired at the Cloquet Fire Department in 1991. He retired as a Cloquet Area Fire District captain in 2015. Some of Steve’s accomplishments were raising funds to purchase the first thermal imaging camera and specializing in arson investigations. His brothers in Cloquet affectionately knew him as “Magoo.”

Steve was an avid sportsman, and loved hunting for deer, grouse, pheasant and bear. He also enjoyed fishing for walleyes, northerns, crappies, bass and perch. Steve’s true passion was spearing northerns in the winter on Leech Lake. On summer nights, you could often find him drinking a Miller Lite and sitting by a campfire.

Among Steve’s talents were home repairs and construction, which he learned from his beloved father. He also was known to be a great cook, especially when it came to wild game, fish or grilling.

Steve was preceded in death by his parents, and his beloved nephew David Maki.

He will be sadly missed by his wife, Marsha; daughter, Kristie (Ed) Hills; son, Derek (Melissa) Hills; grandchildren, U.S. Army Private Will Schmidt, Gavin, Neve and Makayla, Cody and Hailey Hills; and his newest love, Twyla, his chocolate lab; his sister, Nancy Maki; sisters-in-law, Melanie Trosby and Maureen Nendel; his nephews Charles Maki and Richard Gill; nieces, Tina Gibson and Tonya Saenz; and his very dear friends, Steve Stumpf and Greg Willeck.

We thank all our friends for their love and support at NorthStar who made Steve’s last wish a reality, the St. Croix Hospice staff, his Saginaw friends, and his brothers at the fire department.

Steve’s last wish was to have a barbecue and a beer at the lake. A gathering will start at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, at NorthStar Camp on Leech Lake, 584 Northstar Drive NE, Federal Dam, Minnesota. Bring a chair.

Pine Knot News, Aug. 2, 2024