Benjamin Ray Hilts

Benjamin Ray Hilts, age 35, of DeTour Village, Michigan, died Saturday, December 3, 2016, as the result of an automobile accident. He was born December 1, 1981, in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. Ben grew up in the Mt. Pleasant area. He graduated from Beal City High School in 2000 where he participated in football, baseball, and track. Ben worked at various jobs for several years while deciding what he enjoyed most. In the Mt. Pleasant area, he worked at Schyler Unlimited, Lawn Care, Weber’s Saw Mill, Andre’s Dairy Farm, Straus Masonry, A-1 Machine and Tool, Morbark, and Higgins and Associates. In 2004, he moved to the Eastern Upper Peninsula where he worked at Howe & Howe, Kelly Excavation, Island Masonry, and Davis Timber Products. In his spare time, partnered with his girlfriend, Tiffany, he helped start and run Tiffs Auto Body and HD Trucking before he partnered with Ron Papin and together, they owned and operated Grade A Logging in DeTour for the past six years. Ben enjoyed hunting, year round fishing, snowmobiling, boating, golfing and camping. Ben loved tinkering in the garage, whether it be fixing boats for pleasure or machinery for work. He and Tiffany were most often found in the garage working together on one project or another. Most of all he enjoyed hanging with his wide circle of friends, some of whom he traveled with to places like Cancun, Jamaica, The Dominican Republic, and Vegas. Ben is survived by his son, Bailey Benjamin Hilts of Mt. Pleasant; father, Ray Arnold Hilts of Drummond Island, Michigan; siblings, Jessica (Hilts) Bass of Towanda, Pennsylvania, Katie Hilts of Mt. Pleasant, and Jason (Tamra Martinez) Hilts of Shepherd, Michigan; nieces, Emma and Alyse Bass; fiancé, Tiffany Dumback of DeTour Village; uncle, Tim Grisdale of DeTour; great friends, Frank Dumback, Krystal, Jon, Trenton, and Eric Huyck, Nick and Mohnti Dumback, Ron Papin, Chris Bass, Buck Socia, Josh Baareman, Jason Baareman, Rod Munro, and Todd Postula; and his son’s mother and stepfather, Amanda Anton and Jeff Stanton. Ben was preceded in death by his mother, Jayne Elizabeth (Grisdale) Wilson; grandparents, Forest and Jerry Hilts and Leo and Ann Grisdale; nephew, Christopher Bass; niece, Mary Geraldine Bass; aunt, Kathy Guarisco; cousin, George Pifer; good friend, Jack Fussman; and his son’s grandfather, Todd Anton; and Penni Dumback. Visitation will be held Tuesday, December 6, from 5:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. and Wednesday, December 7, from 11:00 A.M. until 1:00 P.M. at R. Galer Funeral Home, 24549 S. M-129 in Pickford, Michigan. Funeral Services will be held Wednesday, December 7, at 1:00 P.M. at R. Galer Funeral Home.

Tributes

Benjamin Ray Hilts

December 1, 1981 - December 3, 2016