Max Jay Hill

Max Jay Hill was born on March 26, 1932 in McGill, Nevada, the first of six children, born to Mervon Joy and Lucile Carr Beck. Before his birth, he inherited a big sister, his aunt Mary.

As a teenager, he shoveled coal, drove a dump truck, raised chickens, did construction and was a hod carrier (carrying bricks and mortar) which motivated him to get an education. Consequently, he met his forever sweetheart, Dona Pettingill, at BYU.

They were married on May 29, 1953 in the Salt Lake Temple. Thirteen days later, after taking finals, he was drafted into the Army and was assigned to USFA Headquarters in Salzburg, Austria (instead of Korea with the rest of his company). He “arranged” to transfer from the infantry to G2 Operations where he did secret stuff and worked in the same building as Dona who was finally able to join him and worked for the CIC. There, at Camp Truscott, the first of their nine children, Sherry, was born.

After two years in the service of his country, and on the GI Bill they returned to finish his education at BYU where he graduated in 1957 with a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing. Carole was born there in 1956.

His real career began in 1960 when he became a Pharmaceutical Sales Representative for Irwin Neisler Laboratories which later became Mallinckrodt and then Wallace Laboratories.  The Doctors he called on soon became his dear friends. His best fishing buddy from Idaho Falls wrote a song that will sung for Max at his services. Max was a favorite detail man of receptionists, they could always get that bow-tie wearing detail man in to see the Doctors.

1960 was also the year that Shellie, their third daughter, was born and died at six months of age. They built their first home in 1961 in time to welcome their sons, Lane in 1962, Shane in 1963, Krehl in 1968, Scot in 1969 and Barry in 1972.

Max was the National Salesman of the year for years and won many nice trips. In 1980 they built a new home in Bountiful in time to welcome number six son, Cory in 1981.

Max was a dedicated member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving in a Branch Presidency, as Elders’ Quorum President, Temple Square Guide, Bishopric, High Council, several ward and stake missions and ordinance worker. With Dona, he served three full-time missions and three service missions as Temple Square Van guides for about ten years, ac-cumulatively, among other callings.

He loved to fish, to travel, to sing, to read and to collect things – like rugs, Indian jewelry, books, stamps, more books, coins, friends and more books. He loved to share and care and serve. He loved little people and big people and most of all, shut-ins and sick people.

It is rumored that he was everyone’s favorite nephew or uncle or whatever.

Thirteen of his cherished descendants surrounded his bed when he died, peacefully, three days after suffering an aortic dissection. He is survived by his wife, six sons and two daughters and their awesome spouses, as well as twenty two grandchildren and spouses, thirteen grand children who aren’t grown up yet and twenty two great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be a three-day affair:

Viewing on Wednesday, November 21 at Russon Mortuary, 295 N. Main, Bountiful, from 4:00 – 6:00 PM

Viewing on Friday, November 23 at Barton Creek Ward Chapel, 650 So. 750 East, Bountiful at 11:30 – 12:30 with Funeral Service following at 1:00 PM

Interment will be at Bountiful City Cemetery, 2224 So. 200 W., Bountiful, on Saturday, November 24 at 9:30 AM, with Full Military Honors.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) on this fundraising page. https://us-p2p.netdonor.net/883/diy/38544/in-loving-memory-of-max-jay-hill