In Memory: Stuart Lee Hills

Dear Laurentian community,

I write today with the sad news that Piskor Professor Emeritus of Sociology Stuart Lee Hills GP’16 died on Aug. 2 at the age of 90. For more than two decades at St. Lawrence, he served as a devoted teacher and mentor, and was a prolific researcher in his discipline.

Born and raised in East Orange, New Jersey, Stuart graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the College of Wooster in 1955. It was at Wooster where he first met his wife, Wilma, during an orientation exam when he asked to borrow a pencil after intentionally breaking it to have an excuse to speak with her. He earned his master’s and Ph.D. in sociology at Indiana University, and then launched a long and distinguished career in higher education.

Prior to joining the faculty at St. Lawrence in 1971, Stuart taught part time at Central Michigan and Indiana universities and full time at Muskingum College in New Concord, Ohio. During his tenure here, Stuart was honored with multiple teaching awards, wrote four books in the fields of criminology and sociology, and served both the St. Lawrence and Canton communities with distinction until his retirement in 1994. Stuart and family enjoyed learning adventures together during his sabbaticals, with memorable stays in Seattle and at the American University in Leysin, Switzerland, where he explored the Swiss Alps with his wife and young sons, as well as France and Italy. A lover of sports throughout his life, Stuart was a constant presence at St. Lawrence hockey, football, and basketball games, often with his three sons in tow. 

Stuart was at his best in the classroom where he thrived as a teacher and is still fondly remembered by his former students for his engaging lectures and for occasionally arriving to class in costume and beginning his lecture in full character. 

During Stuart’s time in northern New York, he embraced his love of nature and the outdoors with frequent family snowshoeing, cross country skiing, sailing, canoeing, hiking, and camping trips in and around the Adirondack mountains. In retirement, Stuart focused his energies on wood carving and became a highly skilled carver with a special affinity for bird and holiday carvings. Stuart also took on the challenge of learning the craft of building wooden boats and successfully built a beautiful wooden Adirondack canoe and a sailboat that he affectionately named the Little Green Heron. 

In retirement, Stuart and Wilma moved to Sarasota, Florida, to enjoy the sun and warmth on the Gulf Coast. Stuart was active with the Sarasota Sailing Squadron; he continued to enjoy his carving hobbies while also volunteering at the Pelican Man’s Bird Sanctuary and the Sarasota Audubon Nature Center where he served as a docent and authored Birding Hotspots of Sarasota so he could share his love of birding with the greater Sarasota community.

Stuart was predeceased by his wife of 61 years Wilma. He is survived by his sons Darrick (Mary Ann Schoenberger), Marc, and Michael (Laura McDonald ’87); grandchildren Samuel, Elizabeth ’16, Bridget, Matthew, and Zaeda, and one great-grandchild, Piper.

With profound gratitude for his service to the University and our community, we are honored to remember Stuart as an adventurous learner, dedicated teacher, and devoted friend.

Please join us in celebrating Stuart’s life by sharing your memories of him on the St. Lawrence University website. You can read the remembrances of others here.

Sincerely,
Kate Morris