Samuel "Barney" Barnett Hill

 Samuel Barnett "Barney" Hill, long-time resident of Emmett, Idaho, passed away with family close by on March 21, 2026.  Barney was born October 21, 1943 in Kodiak, Alaska to Franklin and Catherine Hill.  Due to fears of a Japanese attack of Alaska during World War II, Barney's family moved back, shortly after his birth, to the lower 48 where he spent his formative years in Idaho, Washington and primarily, Heath, Kentucky.
  Barney's life can perhaps be best summed up by these words:  Artist - Teacher - Cowboy - Poet - Man of Faith.
  Artist:  Art was woven into every facet of Barney's life.  He sketched constantly - portraits, landscapes, moments from memory, scenes from the West he loved, and comic book superheroes for his boys.  His creativity didn't stop with pencil and paper.  He created statues out of welded metal and formed pottery from lumps of clay.  
  Teacher:  After graduating from Boise State University, Barney taught art classes for three years in the Boise School System.  One year at the Junior High level and two years of High School art classes.  He entered back into the arena of teaching in 1980 when he and his first wife, Susan, opened up a private Christian School.  Here "Mr. Hill" invested himself in the lives of the students, both young women and young men who especially responded to his teaching as they saw in Barney a man's man of integrity and character.
  Cowboy:  One day the art teacher decided to become a cowboy/rancher and once that decision was made, people who didn't know him before would never have guessed he hadn't always been a cowboy.  As he would say in his own words, "I'm not a dude and I'm not a goat-roper," meaning I am the real deal.  Barney loved his horses, his cows, his dogs, sometimes his cats and even had a soft spot for the sheep he raised.  Often, his daughter worked alongside him, serving as his top hand, bonded by their shared love for the animals in their care.  
  Poet:  Barney's artistic side revealed itself once again in his love for writing and performing Cowboy poetry.  He wrote and performed poems, both serious and humorous, reflecting the life and times of Cowboys, ranchers, sheepherders and his own personal journeys in life.  Life circumstances got in the way which made it harder for him to pursue poetry, but his love for it never left him.  
  Man of Faith:  At the center of everything was Barney's faith.  He trusted Jesus with his life and his future, and he lived in that trust.  He read his Bible and prayed daily, often writing out his prayers.  His faith shaped the way he cowboyed and the way he taught.  Was he perfect?  No, but he did his best to allow his faith to shape every area of his life.  
  Perhaps the best summation of the man, Barney Hill, comes from his oldest son, "He is the toughest man I've ever met." 
  Ride on Barney, ride on - there's cows in heaven which need to be rounded up, roped and branded.  
  Barney is survived by his son, Kevin (Jennifer) Hill of Foster, Oregon; son Jason (Sue) Hill of Emmett, Idaho; daughter, Julie Riggan of Emmett, Idaho; six grandkids; one great grandchild and another on the way.  
  A celebration of his incredible life will be held on Saturday, April 18,2026 at 11:00 AM at the Gem County Fairgrounds rodeo grandstands.

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