WILLIAM “BILL” BELLAMY HILLS, 89,

born on Feb. 28, 1920, in Iowa City, Iowa, died peacefully at La Joya Assisted Living in La Posada, Green Valley on Aug. 2, 2009.

Bill was the son of Elmer and Ione Hills. He was an Eagle Scout, a member of the National Honor Society, debate team, and drama club at the University of Iowa High School, graduating in 1937. He attended the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, where he was a member of Society of American Military Engineers, American Institute of Electrical Engineers, camera club, and Sigma Chi Fraternity. At the University, he was selected to Tau Beta Pi, a national honor fraternity for engineering students and was named an honorary Lt. Col. in the school’s ROTC program. He graduated with a BS degree in Electrical Engineering in 1941, and simultaneously received a commission in the U.S. Army as a Second Lieutenant through the Reserve Officers Training Corp (ROTC).

He met his future wife, Jean Russell Dawson, from Vancouver, British Columbia, in Iowa City during her Christmas 1940 visit to her uncle, Francis Dawson, Dean of Engineering at the University of Iowa. William and Jean were later married on April 13, 1945, at HMCS Cornwallis, Nova Scotia, where Jean was serving as an Officer in the Woman’s Royal Canadian Navy (WREN).

Bill worked for General Electric Co. (GE) as an Engineer in Schenectady, N.Y. for three months, prior to entering active duty in the Army. His Army assignments included Wyoming, Africa and the Middle East through the end of WWII. Following the war, at the rank of Captain, he returned to GE in Schenectady. He continued in the Army Reserves until 1952, where he reached the rank of Major. He was a member of GE’s Elfin Society.

He retired from GE in 1979 after working in Schenectady, Niskayuna, N.Y., Idaho Falls, Idaho, Paris, France and San Jose, Calif. His last GE assignment was with GE’s Nuclear Energy Division that designs domestic nuclear power plants. He was a member of the Professional Engineering Society of State of New York and holds five patents earned while working at GE.

Bill and Jean retired to Penticton, B.C. and five years later moved to Mayne Island, B.C. Beginning in 1983, William and Jean began wintering in Green Valley and became permanent Green Valley residents in 2000. In Green Valley, Bill was active in the Computer Club, Hiking Club, golf, Genealogy Club and New Comers Club Cincos. He served on the Computer Club’s Board and as Membership Chairman of the Genealogy Club.

Jean Russell Dawson Hills, his wife of 64 years, survives him. They have two sons David William Hills and his wife Mary Micheleen Hills of Charleston, S.C. and Frederick James Hills, Minocqua, Wis.; and one daughter Heather Jean Hays and her husband Gregory Philip Hays, Denver, Colo. Additionally, they have five grandchildren, James F. Hills, Elizabeth M. Hills, Jennifer D. Hays, Annika J. Hays and Brandon W. Hays; and two great-grandchildren Cayden and Tristan Geyers. His brother Richard Hills of Brookings, Ore. also survives him.

Bill and family enjoyed the outdoors and travel. Bill learned to ski after moving to Schenectady and continued for many years in both the East and the West. The family enjoyed camping at Lake George, the West and in Mexico, and their camps, (vacation homes), on Lake George, N.Y. and condominiums on Lake Tahoe, Calif. Travels included a family tour of Europe in 1965. Later, Bill and Jean enjoyed many cruises and trips to include Antarctica, Europe, Asia, South America, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, Kenya, South Africa and India.

A memorial service will be held on Thursday, Aug. 6, at the Valley Presbyterian Church, 2800 S. Camino del Sol, Green Valley at 11 a.m. He will be interred in the columbarium at the church. Additionally, there will be a “Memories” service at La Joya Assisted Living at 3 p.m. Thursday afternoon.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Bill’s name to the La Posada Foundation, 350 E. Morningside Road, Green Valley, AZ 85614.