Ann Terry Hill

Ann Terry Hill passed away peacefully on March 5, 2023. 

Ann ‘Terry’ Hill was born in Baker City, October 29, 1938, to Frederick Weyland & Jean Silven Hill.  In 1940, the family moved to Helix/ Juniper Canyon to join her grandfather James Hill Sr’s farming and cattle operation.  In 1941 her brother, Fritz, joined the family. As with many isolated farm families, Terry and Fritz had to play together.  Fritz would tell the story about Terry, and her visiting girlfriend, tying him to the corral fence, then leaving him in the hot sun while they went off to ride horses. 

 Terry attended school in Helix, then transferred to Pendleton High School where she was on the PHS Honor Roll and a member of the Lantern newspaper staff. She attended University of Oregon and joined Delta Gamma sorority.   

Terry was the Queen of the 1955 Umatilla County Fair Court. Following that she was a Princess and then the Queen of the Pendleton Round-Up (1956 & 1957).  This led to her lifelong love and support of the Pendleton Round-Up.

Terry loved to travel!  Her career as a travel agent with Churchill Tours took her to many exotic places.  She was one of the first to lead a tour to China, after President Richard Nixon opened relations with the Chinese government in 1972.  She even took an (accidental) around-the-world tour when her travel companion decided at every stop that they should see just one more country while they were at it. 

When Terry started writing for western and equine magazines, her travels were focused more on Utah trail rides, a stud-farm in southern France, and the Kentucky Derby.  Terry’s magazine articles often focused on Pendleton’s western heritage. Her favorite writing assignment was as co-author of the celebrated book Pendleton Round-Up at 100, which led her to interviewing numerous cowboys, cowgirls, and other notable rodeo characters.

Terry had a passion for horse racing and specifically the Kentucky Derby, which she attended seven years in a row and wrote numerous articles about. No derby trip was complete without purchasing a big hat and matching outfit to wear to the many parties she attended.  She was a scholar of race horse breeding, their owners and the top jockeys.  She didn’t get rich at the betting stands, but it was part of the fun. 

No accounting of Terry’s life would be complete without mentioning her love of entertaining!  A friend remembers Terry holding great parties that included Portland notables, whom Terry would call and invite.  Though she had never met them, they would come!

 Terry made Pendleton her home again in 2010.  Her favorite apartment was in the St. George Hotel where she could partake in downtown activities.  She was a Umatilla County Historic Society board member, and a member of Delphians and PEO. 

She is preceded in death by her parents and her brother Fritz Hill. She leaves behind nephews Jason Hill (Janelle) and Winston Hill (Kirbie), sisters-in-law Mary Ann Hill and Karen Hill, and goddaughters Anna Mautz and Anne Edgerton.  

On behalf of the Hill family, we would like to give a heartfelt thank you to the staff at Desire For Healing for caring for Terry for the past few years, and convey our sincere appreciation to the exceptional care given to Terry in the end from Good Shepherd Hospice Care.

A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, March 25th at 11:00 a.m. at the Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame, followed by a 1:45 p.m. burial at the Helix Cemetery,  and gathering at the Helix Pub.  Memorial gifts may be made to the Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame.