Hilton H. Dier Jr.

1927 - 2020

Hilton H. Dier, Jr.

Hilton H. Dier, Jr., passed away on Monday, April 27, 2020. Affectionately known for most of his life as "Spike" and by many simply as "the Judge," Hilton was born on February 16, 1927, in Toronto, Canada, while his mother was visiting her sister, but he grew up in Lake George, NY, where his father was the town doctor. After graduating from high school in 1944, Hilton enlisted in the U.S. Army as an infantryman. He was eventually assigned to the Army of Occupation in Germany, where he served at the General Headquarters in Frankfurt. Hilton attended Cornell University, and transferred to SUNY Albany, graduating in 1950. Following stints working as a radio announcer in Glens Falls and writing ad copy for General Electric, he attended Harvard Law School, graduating in 1956.

After being admitted to the Vermont Bar in 1957, Hilton clerked for Federal District Court Judge Ernest Gibson, practiced law in Brattleboro, and served as Deputy Attorney General. He was appointed to the Vermont District Court in 1968, serving in Addison County, and to the Vermont Superior Court in 1975, retiring in 1989. Among his proudest achievements were his work founding the Vermont Public Defender's Office, and his appellate opinion clarifying the state constitution's protections of women's reproductive rights.

Hilton married his wife of 62 years, Martha (nee Chanutin) in 1958. The couple have lived in Middlebury since 1968. They have two children, son Hilton III and daughter Cary, and a very spoiled Shi-poo named Aggi. Following his retirement, Hilton was able to spend more time enjoying his favorite avocations. He was a gourmet cook, who fed his culinary creations to appreciative friends and family members far and wide. He even published a cookbook in 2018, in celebration of his 91st birthday and 60th wedding anniversary. He enjoyed playing golf, listening to jazz, working New York Times Crossword puzzles, and doting on a succession of small dogs. True to his gregarious Irish heritage, he was a founding member of the 'Geezer's Grumble Group' which met at the Middlebury Co-op every morning to socialize while awaiting the newspaper deliveryman. His wit and wisdom will be missed by many.

Due to the current quarantine restrictions, no memorial is planned at this time. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Doctors Without Borders and Homeward Bound, the Middlebury animal shelter.