Mike Jay Hills

Milas "Mike' Jay Hills was born May 2, 1946, in Siren, Wisconsin, the second child of 4 to Mike and Reva Hills.
Mike and his family moved to White Sulphur Springs, Montana, at an early age.
Shortly after high school graduation, Mike joined the Air Force, completing his service as a C-130 flight crew chief.
He attended two years of college at the then Eastern Montana College in Billings. Upon deciding on a career in aeronautics, Mike transferred to Oklahoma State University where he and his future wife, Ann, became acquainted.
Mike and Ann married in December of 1972, graduated in May of 1973 and moved back to White Sulphur Springs to job hunt.
In the fall of 1973, Mike was hired by Bechtel at the Colstrip power plant construction site as a mechanical engineer where he worked for the next three years.
With a transfer to Pennsylvania Mike and Ann moved to another Bechtel project for about two years.
From there a move to the tri-cities area of Washington state occurred, where their first son was born.
In 1980 as Colstrip units three and four began construction, Mike obtained employment with Montana Power Company, so another move was made.
A second son, Doug, was born during this time, completing the family.
In Colstrip, Mike continued to work in construction, eventually finishing up his career as a boiler, mechanical engineer with Talen, retiring in the summer of 2008.
Mike had a wide range of hobbies beginning with radio control vehicles and planes. He and his wife earned their private pilot licenses, eventually owning several planes.
During retirement, Mike continued with his flying, working on various home projects and taking care of his yard.
Mike passed away at home on October 9. 2024, after fighting cancer. He is survived by his wife, two sons and their families of three grandchildren, three siblings, in-laws and nieces and a nephew.