Norval "Skip" James Hills

Skip was born November 28, 1945, in Waverly, IA and passed on October 23, 2025.

Funeral services are Friday, October 31, 2025, at 12:30 p.m. at Altoona Christian Church, 2890 First Avenue South, Altoona, IA 50009. Visitation will be before the services starting at 11 a.m. Please stay following the service for a luncheon.

Skip graduated from State College High School and the University of Northern Iowa. He was an incredibly proud Vietnam Veteran serving in the Army from 1968 – 1970. After the war he got his MA and taught high school before continuing his service by working for the Veterans Administration in Des Moines starting in 1975. There he met the love of his life, Sue and they married in 1981. He got a promotion in 1991 to work at the Twin Cities VA where he served Vets until he retired early in 1997. He worked a couple other jobs after that until he fully retired in 2008 when he and Sue moved back to Altoona.

Skip was a lifelong tennis player competing for UNI and won Iowa Senior Player of the Year. Retirement kept Skip incredibly active working out at The Campus in Altoona, playing pickleball, and pitching horseshoes. He has over 60 medals and ribbons competing in the IA Games, IA Senior Games, Nat’l Horseshoe Pitching Championships, and Nat’l VA Senior Games. He was a fierce competitor who displayed the utmost sportsmanship.

An avid sports enthusiast he loved watching all sports, especially the Hawkeyes. He had immeasurable pride and was a constant fixture watching his kids and grandkids in all their events. He never knew a stranger and would strike up a conversation with anyone at any time.

Left to honor Skip’s memory are daughter, Tiffany Wickman (Chris) and sons, James Lucken Hills (Dawn) and Trevor Hills (Jennie); grandkids, Braeden, Taylor, Deacon, Trent, Amos, and Caitlin; beloved diva cat, Molly; siblings, Linda (Pat), Bonnie (Mark), Dan (Marie), Al (Cherri), and David (Sue); brother-in-law, Wayne (Marsha); sister-in-law, Helen; and a vast array of friends from all his endeavors.

Skip was preceded in death by his wife of 34 years, Sue; parents, Dick and Ruth Hills; in-laws, Herb and Elsie Wheeldon; and brother-in-law, Tom.

Enormous thanks to everyone at the VA rehab and 3801 Grand Assisted Living for vastly increasing the quality of his life the last nine months. The family requests instead of flowers, please consider donating to causes close to Skip’s heart: the Gary Sinise Foundation or Iowa State Fair, where he loved to pitch horseshoes.

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