Walter Ensign Hill

Walter Ensign Hill (88) of Missoula, Montana passed away on March 31, 2026. He was born in Bottineau, North Dakota on July 25, 1937, the son of Armin John Hill and Virginia Adeline Nelson.

Walter married Annette Smith on June 8, 1961 in the Salt Lake City Temple. They are the proud parents of 7 children: Heber, David, Ginger, Kathryn, Kenneth, Elizabeth and Bryce.

Walter Hill had a very successful professional career graduating from BYU, earning a doctoral degree from University of Wisconsin, Madison, and doing his postdoctoral work at Oregon State University. He then became a professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the University of Montana in Missoula, the place he called home for 56 years. Through his career he mentored numerous students, graduate students and post-doctorate fellows, while leading a highly successful, nationally-funded laboratory that elucidated the structure and function of the ribosome, the molecular motor that translates the messenger RNA code into protein. He is held in high regard in the scientific community which he served by peer reviewing journal articles, reviewing grant proposals, serving as editor for several scientific journals, and serving as a section leader for the National Science Foundation. He earned a law degree in 1996 and served as expert witness in a number of judicial cases involving patents. On campus he is known best for donning his Sherlock Holmes hat and riding his 3-speed bicycle with a handlebar basket to work every day, even through snowy winter weather.

Walter followed his faith in Jesus Christ and was a prominent local leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is loved by thousands of people he served in many various callings such as Scout Leader, Bishop and Stake President. He and Annette influenced hundreds of young missionaries while serving a three-year mission as mission leaders in the Las Vegas West Mission from July 2000 until June 2003.

He enjoyed many outdoor activities in Western Montana including hunting with his boys, hunting antelope with the whole family, canoeing with his family in the Clark Fork and Blackfoot rivers and camping in Glacier National Park. Most fondly remembered were the annual treks to Yellowstone National Park for his father’s family reunion where sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends spent a week discovering nature, eating, fishing, canoeing, sight seeing, getting dirty and catching up on the past year.

He looked forward every year to going camping with the local scout troop during their annual week-long 50-Miler backpacking trips in the Mission Mountains and 50-Miler canoe trips on the Smith River. Walt enjoyed several hobbies including raising guppies, building free-flight gliders and rubberband powered model airplanes, hunting, fishing, camping, picking (and eating) huckleberries, gathering home-heating firewood and helping others.

Following retirement he enjoyed the peaceful surroundings of his log cabin on the shore of Placid Lake. He enjoyed reading, floating in an innertube, watching sports, visiting with friends and neighbors, and hosting lakeside parties.

Walter is survived by his wife Annette Hill (married 64 years), and their 7 children: Heber Hill (Julie), David Hill (Donna), Ginger Day (Herb), Kathryn Foust (Arnold), Ken Hill (Sara), Elizabeth Leavitt (Scott) and Bryce Hill (Havilah); his sisters Ivy Hill Gilchrist, Doris Hill Giles and brother Kent Hill; 37 grandchildren (2 of which are currently serving missions) and 16 great grandchildren.

Walt was preceded in death by David Nelson Hill (brother), Carolyn Hill Jones (sister), Mary Annette Hill (stillborn daughter) and Jonah Walter Hill (grandson).

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Seeley Lake Community Foundation in Walter’s name.

Please help us create a memory book by sending stories and memories to: memories.of.walthill@gmail.com

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, April 11, 2026 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 3201 Bancroft Street, Missoula, MT 59801. Viewing is from 12 pm to 1 pm. Service is from 1 pm to 2 pm.