Susan Butler Hillyard

Susan Butler Hillyard of Hotchkiss, Colorado passed away in Denver on May 17, 2025 after a valiant fight against early onset Alzheimer’s.

Susan was a vibrant, beautiful, smart, and strong woman with a dry sense of humor, a lovely quirky smile and a passion for life. She loved traveling, practicing law, her friends and family, her horses and the ranch on the Western Slope she shared with her husband of 40 years, Will Hillyard. Will preceded her in death in 2022.

Susan always said that the two things she was happiest about in her life were marrying her husband and being a lawyer.

Susan was born in Aurora, IL on Dec. 16, 1953 to William Hale Butler, an Airline Pilot for TWA, and Jane Stewart Butler. The family lived in Cairo, Egypt for five years before moving to Greenwich, CT and Bucks County, PA. Her first year of college she attended Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA. She was part of the first coed class admitted to the previously all male University. She transferred to and graduated from the University of Colorado in Boulder where she fell under the spell of the Rocky Mountains. She never wanted to live anywhere else. Susan then attained her law degree at the University of Wyoming specializing in Mineral, Oil and Gas law. She worked for Exxon Oil and Forrest Oil in Denver before becoming a Vice President at Colorado National Bank. She opened her own law firm in Delta, CO after she and her husband moved to a small ranch in nearby Hotchkiss.

She is survived by her younger sister, Shea E. Butler, of Port Townsend, WA, her Aunt, Susan Unteed, of Olathe, KS, and numerous cousins and many close friends.

Susan was loved. She will be missed.

Donations can be made in her name to:

Hope West, please specify their Delta Location at Donate - HopeWest or 970/683-4914.