CROGHAN – Philip Dean Hills, 65, of Erie Canal Road, passed away Tuesday afternoon, August 1, 2023 at Lewis County Health System Hospital after suffering a heart attack.
He is survived by his wife of 34 years, Jane; two brothers and their wives, Larry R. and Ruth Hills; Mark L. and Nicole Hills; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, John W. “Jack” and Clara E. Bush Matulewicz ; three brothers-in-law and a sister-in-law, Andrew and Cathy Matulewicz ; Walt Matulewicz ; and Greg Buckingham; aunts, nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews, and cousins. He is predeceased by his parents Ronald and Imelda Hills, a sister-in-law, Rita M. Buckingham; and a sister-in-law, Debra Matulewicz.
Philip was born on April 3, 1958 in Lowville, NY, a son of the late Ronald and Imelda Widrick Hills and graduated from Beaver River Central School in 1976, where he attended Lewis County B.O.C.E.S for Electrical Trades. On July 19, 1976, Phil began working for Climax Manufacturing in Lowville. On July 15, 1989, he married Jane E. Matulewicz at St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Lowville. After Climax Manufacturing’s closure on April 1, 2016, Phil received a job offer that evening to work for Car-Freshner Corp. in Watertown, where he worked until his retirement in April 2021.
The funeral will be Friday, August 4, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. at First Mennonite Church, New Bremen, with Ed Steckly, Pastor, officiating. Burial will follow in the First Mennonite Church Cemetery. There are no calling hours. Contributions may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105; First Mennonite Church, P.O. Box 417, Lowville, NY 13367; or Lewis County Search and Rescue, 7782 West State Street, Lowville, NY 13367. Condolences may be shared with the family at www.isenekerfuneralhome.com .