Thomas Arthur Hill

Thomas Arthur Hill, age 77, died at his home in Laramie on March 25, 2024. Born to Gladys (Graves) and Art Hill in Douglas on December 19, 1946, Tom was the youngest of three children.

Tom, known better as Tommy back then, enjoyed growing up in small town Douglas and especially visiting the family homestead. During his high school years, he was an excellent athlete. He was a star football player, played baseball and ran track.  He was well-liked and popular with those who knew him. He graduated with the class of 1965. After graduating he moved to Laramie to attend the University of Wyoming. One of his greatest joys was reuniting with high school friends at class reunions.

In 1967 he married his high school sweetheart, Mary Highfill Harman. They became the proud parents of two daughters, Sarah and Cassidy.  He remained friends with Mary after their divorce. In 1976, Tom and Mary started a rafting business during the summers. The river was one of Tom’s favorite places.  He was a natural on the water and loved the excitement of the big rapids.  He volunteered to take many groups of people, including those with special needs, down the river. He loved showing them all the sights as they floated the North Platte. He took many weeklong adventures on rivers such as the Salmon, Selway and Yampa. The family enjoyed spending time in the mountains camping, fishing and hiking during the summers.  Tom was a nature enthusiast who was given an award for the work he did with the Laramie Rivers Conservation District. 

While at the University of Wyoming, Tom received a degree in Elementary Education. He went on to become a beloved elementary school teacher teaching at Thayer and Slade schools for more than three decades.  He began teaching in special education, then 6^th, 3^rd and 4^th  grades. Tom loved Wyoming history (a gift he learned from his mother) and taught with a unique and unconventional style that included humor and music.  He would often teach spelling words by turning them into a song. Over the years he touched the hearts of many young people. He was a memorable teacher. Decades later, his students often shared how he had affected them or talked about how he was their favorite teacher.

Over the years he participated in various team sports such as softball, wallyball, pool and darts.  He spent many fall days in the Wyoming mountains hunting with friends.  He enjoyed having a garden during the summer and loved to share the vegetables he produced.

After Tom’s retirement, he enjoyed spending time at his cabin in Centennial, where many family gatherings were held.  He often played guitar and sang with family and friends.  For a short time, he ran a karaoke business, and it was great fun.  He had the karaoke machine set up at his cabin and sometimes ventured to bars in Centennial for jam sessions over the years. He seemed to have music around him everywhere he went.  

For many years you could see Tom as his alter ego, Santa Claus. He remembered those years fondly and was always delighted seeing children’s eyes light up when they saw him.  He looked like Santa even when he was out of costume!  Some of those children were children of his elementary school students!

Tom had several special dogs over the years who were well loved by him. There was Bandit 1, Bandit 2, Smokey and Patch. He was so proud of his daughters and his granddaughters, always including them in his life at family gatherings, hiking at his cabin and on vacations.  After his granddaughters were born, they renamed him Papa, a title he embraced proudly.   He would often tell people that he was the most blessed man in the world, and he truly believed that. He was creative, funny, kind, artistic, charismatic and eccentric.  He will be greatly missed and forever remembered.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents, both of his siblings, Koni and Rick: Mary Harman in 2022 and his son-in-law, Jimmy Beierle in 2023.

He is survived by his daughters, Sarah Hill Froehlich (Bill) of Laramie and Cassidy Hill Beierle of Burns, two granddaughters, Mikayla Froehlich and Rietta Higgins, and his long-time friend and companion, Darlys Pexa.  Donations in his memory can be made to the Laramie Animal Shelter.  Please share memories of Tom on his Facebook page, including any photos you may have. 

A graveside service will be held at the Douglas Cemetery on Thursday, April 11^th at 2:00 PM. A Celebration of Life service will be held at First Christian Church in Laramie on Tuesday, May 14^th at 1:00 PM.  Refreshments will be served in the fellowship hall following the service.  

Both are open to anyone who wishes to attend. 

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