Roll Call Tribute

Dennis Wayne Hill 

1948 - March 11, 2024 

Dennis Wayne Hill, 75, of Storrs, CT died on March 11, 2024, from complications related to Myelodysplastic Syndrome.

Born in Wichita Falls, TX in 1948 to Donald and Annie Lee Hill, Dennis was the eldest of three children. In his youth he excelled as both a student and athlete. Dennis took an interest in the sciences at an early age and pursued those interests in college earning a BS degree in biology and chemistry followed by a doctorate in Biochemistry. Upon completing his doctorate studies at Texas A&M University in 1976, Dennis moved his young family to Connecticut to take a Professorship in the Pathobiology Department at the University of Connecticut. Dennis would spend his entire career at UCONN as a research scientist and educator. In addition to directing the Microchemistry Lab, Dennis was an accomplished academic with over 50 works published in such highly accredited journals as Scientific American and the American Society for Mass Spectrometry. As a scientist he was renowned for his transparency and rigorous experimental design. Dennis was a member of numerous science societies including the Association of Official Racing Chemists (AORC) where he served as Executive Director from 2006 to 2023.

After taking early retirement from UCONN in 2003, Dennis was called upon by colleagues to work on research projects that required an expert in mass spectrometry and toxicology. This work, which he continued through 2023, focused on Metabolomics – research that contributed to the diagnosis of diseases and the development of new drugs – and was the subject of 22 published works.

Dennis had a wide variety of interests outside of his primary field which he pursued with much enthusiasm. He was particularly interested in astronomy, paleontology, biology, electronics/radio, computer science, genealogy, and woodworking which he loved to share with his children and grandchildren. He also loved to travel and meet scientists from around the world, especially as part of the AORC.

Dennis married his high school sweetheart, Judith Ann Joyner, in 1967. They had a loving 56-year marriage that was a model to all, full of holding hands on the beach, dancing in the kitchen, and pudding nights. He loved his three children and eight grandchildren and would do anything for them. He was an infinite source of knowledge and skills and would not hesitate to help on projects big or small, from plumbing a bathroom, repairing a car, rewiring an entire house, or virtually anything else his family might need.

To his grandkids, Dennis was the funniest man alive. Dennis had a dry sense of humor, with an appreciation for British comedies and non-traditional cartoons. He was known for his “sage” advice, and chocolate covered brussels sprout recipe. He will be truly missed.

Dennis is survived by his wife Judy Ann Hill; his son Shannon W. Hill and his wife Meridith and their children Tabitha, Austin and Cooper; his son Robert Sean Hill and his wife Kimberly and their children Dolan, Kaleigh and Abbigael; and his daughter Melissa D. Champagne and her husband Keith and their children Jack and Gabriel. Dennis is also survived by two sisters, Donna Ann Sparkman and Cindy Bernstein, and a sister-in-law, Cathy Joyner.

His family will receive relatives and friends on Monday, March 18, 2024 from 9:00am until his funeral service at 10:00am at Potter Funeral Home, 456 Jackson St. Willimantic. His burial will follow at Mansfield Center Cemetery. For an online memorial guestbook, please visit www.potterfuneralhome.com.