C. Tom Hill

C. Tom Hill, DVM, of Baker City, Oregon, passed away at his home on Wingville Lane on Wednesday, December 31, 2025.  There will be a celebration of Dr. Hill’s life on Friday, January 23, 2026 at 11:00 AM at the Baker City Nazarene Church, in Baker City, Oregon. Those that wish to contribute may bring a homemade dessert for the meal following the service. Pies and other traditional desserts would be appreciated. We know there are many great stories you may have with Dr. Tom – cards with your stories would be a gift to the family.

“Dr. Tom” was born on February 3, 1950, in Salem, Oregon. He graduated from South Salem High School in 1968. His parents, Cliff and Margaret “Peggy” Hill, had a dentistry practice and a registered Shorthorn operation.  He showed bulls for the family operation, including at Red Bluff and the Northern International Livestock Exposition.  His mom would drive him to the livestock shows and then ride the train or the bus home to work for the week and then come back to pick him up at the conclusion of the show.  His showing career got him disqualified from the local county fair with his 4H steer as they regarded him as a professional!

Upon graduating high school, Tom attended Oregon State University to pursue a career in engineering, which he quickly found he hated!  He changed his plan to pursue veterinary medicine.  After three years at Oregon State he was accepted into the veterinary school at Colorado State University where he earned his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 1975.

Dr. Tom had always liked the Baker Valley on his trips between home in Salem, Oregon and school in Fort Collins, Colorado. Upon graduation he stopped in Baker, Oregon, to introduce himself to Dr. Kuhl of the Baker Veterinary Hospital, who at the time also served on the Oregon veterinary examination board. Dr. Kuhl offered him a job on the spot.  The new graduate accepted the offer but advised Dr. Kuhl he had committed to a backpack trip through Alaska with another classmate – they were planning to study for their veterinary boards while backpacking, which didn’t happen!  They each, however, passed all five boards on the first try.

In September of 1975 he began his practice with Dr. Kuhl supporting clients with both small and large animal needs.  Dr. Tom originally did not want to practice on horses, but Dr. Kuhl firmly advised Dr. Tom that being a rural community vet meant serving the veterinary needs of the community – including all of God’s creatures – great and small.  So he practiced on cows, dogs, cats, horses, and even llamas!  He never made it back to the west side of Oregon – he hated the rain anyway!

In April of 1978, Tom met his life-long partner, Lynne, a registered nurse at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, and they wed in February of 1979.  In December 1988, they had saved up enough money and purchased their “forever home” in Wingville.  They started raising dairy replacement heifers from bottle calves which gave them the seed money to buy their first 30 head of broken mouth Hereford and Angus cows. They grew their operation over the next 30 years which included an additional ranch purchase in Haines, Oregon.  Tom and Lynne loved their life filled with two kids, Tom’s veterinary practice, Lynne’s work as a registered nurse, countless cows, horses, dogs, and always at least one bob-tailed cat named Bobby that invariably loved Dr. Tom best. 

Dr. Tom was well-loved and known throughout the northwest, as a trusted veterinarian, serving his clients not only with his medical expertise but also with his uniquely caring nature.  The1980’s and 1990’s were very difficult years in northeastern Oregon and for the ranching community.  Dr. Tom was very conscious of the strain on local family ranch operations.  He was passionate about helping those families’ and taking a broader perspective than just veterinary medicine – including nutrition, mineral, herd health programs, and calf survivability.  His solutions and suggestions were always practical and simple – like considering which pastures cows were calved in to reduce scour and disease risk.  Dr. Tom enjoyed learning, using and adopting new techniques and technologies, and collaborating with clients to improve their operations and the performance of their cattle and horses.

Gradually, over the last ten years, Dr. Tom’s practice began to focus on the equine side of the practice only.  No matter the discipline, he was there to support, find solutions or alternatives, to help meet the animal and client needs. From rodeo, to cutting, to 4-H, to dressage – any performance and pleasure horse activity, Dr. Tom provided support. He served clients who have excelled with their equine partners and competed successfully at the national level. Many families sought his support especially as their kids competed on old “been-there” animals.  Young competitors were valued and felt his care for their seasoned, but loved, animals.  His demeanor with the kids and their animals was not only caring, but very fair, and honest with a focus on teaching young owners about their equine partner.

Dr. Tom was an active member of the American Quarter Horse Association, the Oregon Veterinary Medical Association, the American Association for Equine Practitioners, and the American Association of Bovine Practitioners.

Contrary to popular opinion, Dr. Tom never retired.  Whenever he was asked, “When are you going to retire?”, he would respond with a gleam in his eye and a smile on his face, “I am retired; I only do what I want! And I want to work on horses.”  He was still actively practicing, enjoying every minute, and planning for the future and this spring’s coming work. He was a skilled veterinarian who continued to hone his skills and seek new knowledge through continuous learning with colleagues and advanced training.  Just this December, he was in Denver, CO, for the American Equine Association annual meeting and came home with information and many pages of notes of things learned!

His favorite experiences outside of his veterinary practice included time in the Eagle Cap Mountains with friends and family and God’s creations. This included hiking, hunting, pack trips with horses and mules, and of course shenanigans with friends while doing so!  Dr. Tom would share stories of unbuckling horse cinches on the off-side, “hat stomping” – horseback of course, pulling other riders’ bridles off along the ride…nothing was off-limits and it didn’t matter what age the friend or family member was to prank!

Dr. Tom was an avid family man who enjoyed the ranch life he and his wife Lynne built together. He poured his life into his veterinary practice, and enjoyed the relationships built with clients who became life-long friends. His vet school colleagues have remained good friends and they celebrated their 50-year class reunion together in Fort Collins, Colorado in October 2025.  He is remembered by them as an excellent test taker with a brilliant mind.  He was a simple man who loved his family and loved helping young people starting and struggling in the ranching industry. Helping them just where they were gave him great joy. He loved helping others find their way; seeing them succeed. He loved the Baker Valley and he loved his friends.  He and Lynne stayed 50 years because they found just where God intended them to be.

Tom is survived by his wife Lynne, daughter Lindy Widner of Baker City, son Joe (Dana) Hill of Baker City, sister Kathleen (Steve) Roberts of Duvall, WA, grandchildren Cole Widner, Riley Widner and Kate Hill. He was preceded in death by his parents, Cliff and Margaret Hill, and his niece, Holly Jackson.

For those who would like to make a memorial donation, the family requests time given to them to set up a scholarship fund in his honor. Online condolences can be shared at www.tamispinevalleyfuneralhome.com