Michael Allen Hill

HILL, MICHAEL ALLEN passed away peacefully in his home in Sacramento on September 1st, 2005. Michael was born on Fort Yuma Indian Reservation on April 12, 1953. He spent most of his early childhood on the reservation in Winterhaven, California. He attended local area schools. Michael later moved with his family to Los Angeles, and later to Banning, California. Michael graduated from Banning High School, where he played football and lettered in track. He helped form the school club, Americans of Indian Descent, and was President one year. After graduating from Banning High School, Michael went on to attend the University of California at Riverside, majoring in Business. It was during his years at UC Riverside that he worked with his friends Ernie and Bobby Salgado to form the Ahmium, Inc. The Ahmium, Inc. Program helped Native American Youths get started in early education. Also during this time, he worked for the state of California Employment Development Department. Later Michael transferred to the University of California at Santa Cruz, where he earned his Bachelor's Degree in Business Education. After receiving his degree, Michael began working for the University of California at Berkeley, where he eventually retired. Michael worked in the Office of Relations with Schools as a Student Recruiter for early outreach, with 25% of his time being spent specifically recruiting Native American Students. Michael traveled across the country directing programs recruiting students into higher education, along the way making life-long friendships. He believed that higher education was the gateway to success in life. Michael will be greatly missed by friends and relations and will forever be remembered by the conversations he had, and the inspiration he gave to all. Michael was preceded in death by his beloved Mother, Beatrice Hill, Father Augustine Budd, and his Brother John Steven Hill. Michael is survived by his sisters Myrtle Davis of Yuma, Arizona, Roxanne Roosevelt of Banning, California and brother Robert Roosevelt Jr. also of Banning, California; his daughter Renee Lopez of Riverside, California, and his sons Topetquarow John-Michael Hill of the University of California at Davis, and William Robert Hill of Sacramento, California and his granddaughter Miranda Duran of Riverside, California, and also by many, many relatives. A funeral mass will be held at 4pm Monday, September 12th, at St. Thomas Indian Mission, with Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribal Ceremonial Rites to follow at the Quechan Big House. There will be a closed casket; cremation will be at 5am Tuesday.