Richard Harold Freeman Hillyer

Richard Howard Freeman Hillyer
March 13, 1934 – November 19, 2025
Richard "Dick" Hillyer was born to John Howard Freeman and Hazel Lucille Olson on Friday the 13th in Kansas City, Missouri. Unfortunately, his parents died when he was just a child. He stayed with his grandmother, Ellen Rosen for a brief time and then was adopted by relatives, Justin Wilder Hillyer and Alberta Rosen. Dick remained close to his adopted brother Ken and his wife Francee and brother-in-law Bud Buffer.
While at Colorado University, he met and married the love of his life, Betty Lu Mosier. They had two children, Susan and Brian, and fostered two other children, Janet and Jim Busby. Living in Four Mile Canyon near Boulder, Colorado, Dick, Betty, and their neighbors began the Four Mile Canyon Volunteer Fire Department. The Department was instrumental when the canyon flooded in 1969 and it is still a great community resource today. The family moved to Estes Park, Colorado and Dick commuted daily to Rocky Flats where he was an Electron Microscopist. Eventually, he stopped commuting and started a Farmers Insurance agency in Estes Park. When not working he spent countless hours riding his bicycle in Rocky Mountain National Park, hiking, downhill and cross-country skiing, and horseback riding with his family.
He was a member of the Auxiliary Ski Patrol at Hidden Valley and a Roof Top Rodeo Committee member. He loved sharing stories about adventures and misadventures. He volunteered countless hours during the 1976 Big Thompson flood and the Lawn Lake Dam failure in 1982. Dick and Betty moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico in the 80's to be near Brian and his wife Dottie. Dick was the Farmers Insurance District Manager for Northern New Mexico easily earning the respect of agents in his district. Brian and Dottie were Farmers Insurance agents in Santa Fe and Dick always loved dropping by their agency. When not working, he enjoyed running and biking events with Betty, Brian and Dottie and he was always in the lead pack. After retiring from Farmers Insurance, he and Betty sold everything, bought a fifth wheel, and hit the road. To pay for their adventures they joined Sam's Club as campground evaluators. They visited several campgrounds across the Eastern United States making new friends along the way. Eventually, they returned to the Southwest first volunteering at Bridges National Park in Utah and then moving to Pagosa Springs, Colorado after their grandson Corey was born.
Dick was a board member for the Pagosa Lakes community, and he continued hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing adventures. He and Susan completed countless road-bike adventures over Colorado mountain passes and highways. In 2004, Dick, Betty, Susan, her husband, Terry, and their son Corey moved to Washington State where he and Betty lived near Birch Bay and Blaine. They absolutely loved living near the ocean, kayaking in the bay and enjoying meals of fresh seafood. He and Betty enjoyed traveling to Switzerland for an overland hiking adventure, exploring Nova Scotia and on their 50th anniversary joining a riverboat cruise in Germany.
In 2025 they moved to Mount Vernon, Washington and he enjoyed the energetic community. The staff that cared for Dick at assisted living and at the hospital were bright, caring and extremely kind. He was always quick to help family, friends, neighbors, or anyone in need and did so with a quick step, kindness, and much happiness. Dick made friends easily, loved sharing jokes and carried a warm smile and heart wherever he went. He was Well Loved and Loved Well. He is survived by Betty, Susan and son Corey, Brian and Dottie and their family, as well as Francee and nieces and nephews from the Hillyer family, and niece Betsy (Mosier) and husband Ernie.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Whatcom or Skagit County Humane Society. To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Richard, please visit our Tree Store.