Mark Eugene Hillman

Dec. 20, 1943 – June 6, 2026

Mark Eugene Hillman, 82, of Powell passed away Saturday, June 6, 2026, at Billings Clinic. Mark lived his life loud and proud. Proud of his family. Proud to serve his country. Proud of who he was.

Mark was born in Morton, Mississippi, to Irvin and LaVera (Cooper) Hillman. He was the first of four children. He was raised in the community of Lovell, attending St. John’s Lutheran Church with his mother, fishing with his father, delivering newspapers with his brother Larry and living the Wyoming life that Mark held so deeply in his heart.

Mark graduated Lovell High School with the Class of 1962. He attended the University of Wyoming and was a Cowboy through and through. It was in Laramie that Mark met Mary Jane Martinez, falling in love and making her his wife of more than 58 years. 

In 1967, Mark and his brother Larry joined the Army and served together in Vietnam. He served his country with pride and continued for 27 years as a member of the Army National Guard.

Upon his return home from Vietnam, Mark and Mary started a family, welcoming their daughter Melinda in 1971 and their son Martin in 1975. He loved his children and spent many memorable days camping, fishing and hunting. He was heavily involved in the Rod and Gun Club and the Junior Rifle Club and taught hunter safety to generations of people in Big Horn County.

Mark proudly spent his entire career working for the Wyoming Department of transportation, building a career and a life deeply engrained in the land of Wyoming. He was a representative for the Republican Party and a member of the WPEA. Later in his retirement he was a member of the Eagles and served on the board for the Basin Fire Department and the Basin City Arts Center.

In the year 2000 Mark became a Papa. He embraced this title and the duties it included with an enthusiasm beyond belief. He loved his grandchildren immensely and in them could only see perfection. He spent much of his retirement years attending their sporting events and taking them on four-wheel rides. 

He enjoyed wintering in Yuma with Mary, where he continued to expand his collection of friends.

Mark Eugene Hillman … a life well-lived. Devoted. Dedicated. Selfless. He knew no strangers and saw the best in everyone. We will miss his wisdom, his love, his leadership, his smile and his laugh.

Mark is survived by his wife, Mary Jane; daughter Melinda (Josh) Westerhold; son Martin (Laura) Hillman; siblings Janice Hillman, Larry Hillman and Susan (Matt) Kay; and grandchildren Emily, Landon, Madison, Nova and Fina.

Memorial services will be held Monday, June 15, at 10 a.m. at Thompson Funeral Home in Powell. Thompson Funeral Home and Cremation Services is assisting the family.