John Hill Williams

John Hill WILLIAMS
Born in Pasco, WA on January 28, 1926, in the middle of a snowstorm. He enjoyed growing up near the Columbia River, and had many happy memories of days spent kayaking and swimming. Graduating from high school in the middle of World War II, he enlisted in the navy and was selected for the ROTC program, first at Whitman College, then at the University of Washington.
The son of a newspaperman, Hill was always meant to be a reporter. He first worked for his father at the Pasco Herald. After receiving his degree in journalism from the University of Washington, he got a job at the Kennewick Courier-Reporter, after the person who was supposed to take the job didn't show up. The Courier-Reporter later merged into the Tri City Herald, where Hill did some of his most memorable reporting on the Manhattan Project, right down the river.

In 1952 Hill moved to Seattle and took a job at the Seattle Times, where he would spend the next 40 years of his career. For much of his time there he wrote about science. Everything from the geology of the Northwest to the archeology of the Northwest Indians fascinated him. He walked in the crater of Mt. St. Helens not long after it erupted and he witnessed tests of the atomic bomb in Nevada and at Bikini atoll. He was gifted at writing about complicated topics in terms that everyone could understand.
One day on the way to church, he offered a ride to a young woman named Mary Lou Corbett. Hill and Mary Lou were married for nearly 58 years, and shared their lives with a daughter and four sons. Hill was the center of his large family. He served as scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 319, and led his scouts on many 50 mile hikes. He was never happier than on family vacations at Priest Lake, Idaho. He delighted in driving the family through Eastern Washington in the big blue station wagon, pointing out interesting features of the geology.
In retirement he continued writing, this time it was books - three of them. The first two grew out of his reporting experiences: The Restless Northwest, a Geological Story, and Made in Hanford: the Bomb that Changed the World. His newest book was released just two weeks before his death - Writing the Northwest, a Reporter Looks Back.
Hill is survived by his wife, Mary Lou; his daughter, Mary (Joe Prall); his sons, Hill, Jr. (Shannon), Tom (Dawna), Joe (Karla), and Mike (Staci); and 12 grandchildren: Michael, Daniel, Emily, Abbey, Samantha, Matthew, Brendan, Olivia, John, Gregory, Joshua and Jessica. Also surviving are his sisters, Jane Pugel and Sr. Mary Williams and an extended loving family.
Funeral Mass will be celebrated Wednesday, March 8th, at 11 AM at
St. Luke Church,
322 N.175th St. Shoreline, WA

In lieu of flowers those who wish may send donations to the St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Luke Church, or to St. Luke School.

Hoffner Fisher & Harvey
Guestbook at harveyfuneral.com