- Date Of Birth: December 26, 1948
- Date Of Death: March 18, 2012
- State: Idaho
Douglas Merlin Hill MD, age 63, passed away on the morning of Sunday March 18th after a long and courageous battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his loving wife Claudia, his mother Verla and his children as he traveled on his final journey. During his remarkable life, he touched many lives using the names Doug, Dr. Hill, Dad and Papa as just a few of his titles.
Doug was born in Idaho Falls on December 26th, 1948 to Merlin Wilson Hill and Verla Mae Hill along with one sibling, his sister Kristine (Marty) Wilson. He graduated from Idaho Falls High School in 1967 and earned a B.S. in Pre-Med at the University of Idaho in 1971. There, he was part of several honor societies including Phi Beta Kappa. He also was an editor of the literary magazine, Amython, and a photo essayist for the GEM, the U of I yearbook. In 1975, he earned his M.D. at the University of Washington; later serving an internship at St Luke’s Hospital in Denver, Colorado and completing his Family Practice training in Boise in 1978 and was Chief Resident from 1977 to 1978. Dr. Hill served as the President and CEO of Family Medical Clinic, P.A. from 1981 to 1999 in Caldwell and was appointed Chief Medical Officer of St. Alphonsus Medical Group in 2000. He also was the President of Advantage Care Network and served on multiple boards including the Idaho Academy of Family Practice and the Family Practice Residency of Southwest Idaho. When he launched his career goals, he told his parents he simply wanted to “help a lot of people.”
Dr. Hill was a caring physician and an inspiring leader who navigated storms with unsinkable humor and calm. But his greatest achievement was the creation of his family. With seven children and eleven grandchildren, he defined and developed a family connected by a bond stronger than blood. In 1971 he married Susan Janet Elg and had daughters Lauren and Erica.
Now as he heads out on his final camping trip, those whose lives he touched will hold him in their hearts forever and his family will continue to hear the words he said to each of them during his final days: Love you.
