Robert Keith Hilder

1949 - 2017

1949 ~ 2017
Robert Keith Hilder passed from this life peacefully in the presence of loving family on April 26, 2017 from complications while undergoing chemotherapy treatment for esophageal cancer.
Robert liked to say he felt privileged to have four distinct careers in the law. Initially, he worked at the law firm of Christensen & Jensen, practicing civil litigation, eventually being named managing director of the law firm. He was appointed to the Third Judicial District Court on August 1, 1995, by Governor Michael O. Leavitt, where he heard cases for 16 years, and served as Presiding Judge of the Third District. He was loved by many, being called "one of the kindest, most compassionate, gentlest people to sit on the bench," and in 2010 the Utah State Bar awarded Robert with the Judge of the Year award. Following his retirement in 2011, he established a private practice where he did extensive mediation and arbitration work, completing almost 800 arbitrations and mediations in just over four years. Most recently, he was elected Summit County Attorney, where he served until his death.
Robert was born May 15, 1949 in Sydney, Australia. His diverse educational and socio-economic status enabled him to bring a rare perspective to the four careers he had in law. Prior to emigrating to the U.S. and Utah, he worked as a jackeroo, cattle hide grader, police cadet, miner, pipeline construction, surveyor's chainman, barman, bouncer, and LDS missionary. Before entering law school, where he was senior editor of Law Review, and a member of the Moot Court Society, he earned a GED and completed a B.S. in Political Science at the University of Utah, graduating Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude while working as a day laborer in warehouses, unloading rail cars and at 7-11 on the grave-yard shift.
Robert's compassion and genuine love of humanity was felt by many. He claimed there wasn't a person he met from whom he couldn't learn something. His view from his courtroom window of the location he worked as a security guard while obtaining his legal education, was a reminder of the importance of humanness in rendering judgment on others.
He is survived by his wife Jan McCosh Hilder (Park City); his children Ross Alan Hilder (Las Vegas), Robert Keith Hilder, Jr. (Salt Lake City), Daniel Knight Hilder (Salt Lake City), John Dawson Hilder (Las Vegas), Allison Naomi Bryant (Eagle Mountain), Thomas Ryan McCosh (Salt Lake City) and Nathaniel Ian McCosh (Salt Lake City); his son and daughter in law, Jonathan Whitney Bryant (Salt Lake City) and Laurel Louise Baeder (Salt Lake City); his beautiful grandchildren, Carter Robert Bryant, Emersen Whitney Bryant, Hayden Naomi Bryant and Cecelia Louise Baeder-McCosh; mother Naomi Dunn (Sydney, AU); his sister Marilyn Hilder (New Jersey); and his sister in law, Frances Hilder (Hobart, TAS); former wife, Patricia Knight McGregor (Salt Lake City).
An informal memorial gathering will be held on Wednesday, May 3rd at 12:00 p.m. in the Utah Supreme Court courtroom in the Matheson Courthouse located at 450 S. State Street. A celebration of his life will be held in Santy Auditorium in Park City Library on his birthday, May 15th at 12:00 p.m. Immediately following the service a tree will be planted in his memory and those interested in participating are invited to bring a shovel and meet on the library lawn.
Should friends desire, contributions for "Judge Hilder's Bench" (a memorial bench and tree) are welcomed and accepted at any Wells Fargo window to the Robert Hilder Memorial Fund Acct. #9939429156 or by mail c/o Wells Fargo, 1400 Kearns Blvd., Ste. 100, Park City, UT 84060. In addition, a Robert K. Hilder Memorial Scholarship Fund to benefit first generation immigrants in their legal education has been established at the S. J. Quinney College of Law. Online donations can be made at http://law.utah.edu/give/
Robert's death was "a loss to the human race. He was one of the greatest human beings I had the pleasure of knowing." a colleague said.