Tristan Alexander Hill

1988 - 2018

Tristan Alexander Hill

- - Tristan Alexander Hill was born on August 12, 1988 in Singapore. This bright light became eternal on March 11, 2018, when a helicopter crashed into the waters of the East River in New York City. Tristan is survived by his loving parents John Hill and Karen Henke; his brothers Iain and Brendan, his fiancée Eda Ozmen, Fatih, Eren and Kerem Ozmen, and a myriad of aunts, uncles and cousins who loved him very much.

At the age of two, his family moved from Jakarta, Indonesia, to Peoria, Illinois, where they spent the next seven years. At age 4 he joined Biddy Basketball where his life-long passion for the game began. In 1997, his family moved to Reno, a place he would always call home, despite his many wanderings.

Throughout his years at Huffaker, Pine and Galena, his passion for basketball grew, as did his circle of friends. Tristan followed his older brother Iain to The Boys and Girls Club's Reno Ballers basketball program, and to Coach Bill Ballinger, a man who became a very influential figure in his life. His high school coach, Tom Maurer also played a critical role in his development as a young man, as well as an athlete. Highlights of his senior year include winning the 3 point shoot-out at the Beach Ball Classic, in Myrtle Beach and helping Galena win the 4A State Championship in 2007.

His college years were spent playing scholarship basketball at San Joaquin Delta College and Missouri Valley College, and earning a B.S. degree in Finance. Eda Ozmen went from being a high school friend to being the woman with whom he wanted to spend the rest of his life.

Upon graduation, Tristan went to work for Sierra Nevada Corporation in Sparks, Nevada, starting in the Finance Dept. before being selected for SNC's Management Training Program. After completion, he was assigned to SNC's Communications Department. In Dec. 2013 he was promoted to Market Research Analyst for International Programs in SNC's Washington DC office. This led to Internships with Congressman Mike Turner and the House Armed Services Committee. The summer of 2015 saw Tristan and Eda in Brussels, where he completed an Internship with the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. Tristan proposed to Eda at Lake Annecy, France where their journey together truly began.

As an adult, Tristan felt compelled to give back to the community that raised him, in particular the Boys and Girls Club. In 2015, he founded the Northern Nevada Blue Chip Basketball Camp to raise money for The Reno Ballers. Given Tristan's gift of staying in contact with people he cared about, it was easy for him to recruit volunteers to help coach.

The next stop was NYC, where Tristan went to work for the Westchester Knicks; back in his beloved world of basketball again. Meanwhile he developed another passion, the world of craft cocktails. This new interest was so great that in the summer of 2016, Tristan returned to Reno and, with two of his best friends, built and opened his own craft cocktail bar and live music venue, The Stamp Social Club. He was truly in his element, surrounded by family, friends, live music and his passion for learning all he could about the cocktail world.

The fall of 2017, saw Tristan and Eda back in NYC, exploring a new career in NYC tourism. As with any pursuit, he approached this with his boundless enthusiasm and a zest for life. Eda would call him "Tour Guide T" because he was so excited and energized to show people around and give them an unforgettable experience.

Tristan achieved so much in such a short time because of his insatiable desire to learn and to discover new things, places and people. His big heart, selfless attitude, infectious smile and genuine interest in helping people, made it easy for him to develop the most wonderful friendships, start businesses, and experience great adventures.

A Memorial Service will be held at Trinity Cathedral, 200 Island Ave, on Saturday, March 31st, at 1:00 PM, followed by a Celebration of Life at The Boys and Girls Club's Pennington Facility at 1300 Foster Drive near Reno High School.

If you wish to honor Tristan, please contribute "In memory of Tristan Hill" to: The Boys and Girls Club of Truckee Meadows, 2680 E 9th St, Reno, NV 89512 or by calling Donor Relations Director: Kathleen Vanderziel at (775) 360-2450.