Rahnekawę:rih Montgomery Hill, 35, of the Tuscarora Nation, Beaver Clan passed away on April 11, 2025. He was born in Niagara Falls, NY on January 5, 1990, to Donald C. Hill and Kristine M. (Wheatley) Hill. His favorite role was the beloved Nakeri (father) of his only child Yehwatsironnyons Gibson Lynn Clayton Maracle Hill.
He attended Tuscarora School, graduated from Bard College at Simon’s Rock in 2011, and received a PhD in linguistics for his dissertation, “Tuscarora Morphology & Language Revitalization” in 2020 at University of Buffalo. He was most recently awarded the Mellon’s Citizen Scholar’s 2025 Career Enhancement Fellowship for Junior Faculty and was an Assistant Professor of Indigenous Studies at University of Buffalo.
He was a self-professed language nerd as both a Tuscarora and Mohawk speaker, linguist, and language activist. He attended Standing Rock in 2016 and was part of the group who added the Tuscarora marker to the signpost, now in the Smithsonian Museum. He was an active community member within the Tuscarora Nation and invited to become a speaker at the community’s longhouse in 2013.
In his free time, he loved to go on walks, play video games with his child, spend time with family, and continue his learning of Indigenous knowledge and Indigenous knowledge creation.
In addition to his parents and his child, he is survived by his three siblings Rachel (Yasiel Cabrera) Hill, Kimberly Hill, and Logan Hill, his grandparents Ken and Kathleen (Patterson) Wheatley, and many loving aunties, uncles, cousins, and friends.
He was the grandson of the late Daniel C. and Hazel L. (Van Every) Hill.
All are welcome to visit and pay their respects at any time at the family home, 5515 Walmore Road, Lewiston, NY, 14092.
Longhouse Services will be held on Tuesday, April 15th, at 11 AM at the Tuscarora Longhouse, 1948 Mt. Hope Road, Lewiston, NY 14092. There will be a gathering at the Tuscarora Nation House after the burial at Mount Hope Cemetery. Arrangements by M.J. Colucci & Son Niagara Funeral Chapel. Visit mjcoluccifuneralchapel.com for online condolences.
To send a flower arrangement or to plant trees in memory of Rahnekawę:rih Montgomery (Monty) Clayton Hill, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.
Visitation
Monday, April 14, 2025
3:00 PM
Hill Family Residence
5515 Walmore Road
Lewiston, New York 14092
Get Directions on Google Maps
Longhouse service
Tuesday, April 15, 2025
11:00 AM
Tuscarora Longhouse
1948 Mt. Hope Road
Lewiston, New York 14092
Get Directions on Google Maps