RIVERDALE — Steve Hilton was the kind of guy who would call his neighbor to let them know their garage door was open. He was also the kind of guy who would listen to people with a nonjudgemental attitude.

That’s what Riverdale Mayor Braden Mitchell and city administrator and attorney Steve Brooks said about the former City Council member.

Hilton, who recently had been reelected for a second term, passed away unexpectedly Dec. 13 at the age of 66.

“It’s a profound loss for the city of Riverdale,” said Mitchell. “He was my neighbor, and my family and his were actually quite close. I spent a lot of time with him at conferences and discovered how much he knew about the police and fire department.”

Mitchell said Hilton was an EMT and fire department dispatcher at one point in his life and his father, Joe, was a former Ogden fire chief.

“He was very protective of public safety and was always watching out for them,” Mitchell said. “He was someone I could turn to if I needed advice or had any questions along those lines, and he was just one of the kindest, most genuine people I’ve ever met.”

Brooks said he first met Hilton when Hilton was serving on the planning commission.

“A number of us urged him to run for City Council,” Brooks said. “He was just a wonderful man who was extremely devoted to his family and community and he was always willing to just get along with people whether he agreed with their views or not. He could always see both sides to all issues and was never confrontational. It was refreshing to be around him. This is a big hit for us and we will really miss him.”

According to his obituary, Hilton was a graduate of Ben Lomond High School and earned a computer science degree from Weber State University. He served as director of research and development at America First Credit Union, retiring in 2021.

“His family was his absolute pride and joy. Anyone who spent any time with Steve knew how much they meant to him,” his obituary reads. “Family or friend, Steve had a way of making everyone around him feel so loved.”

Hilton was preceded in death by his parents, many other loved ones and his dog, Hinckley. He is survived by his wife, Laura, and three daughters, Whitney, Katie and Tracie, as well as other family members.

A viewing will be held at the Riverdale LDS Stake Center, 4000 Parker Drive, from 6-8 p.m. Thursday. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Friday with a viewing from 9:30-10:45 a.m. A live broadcast can be viewed at https://tinyurl.com/2curxvr8.

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