Steven Hilston

Steven Hilston was called to eternal life on November 14th, 2025, surrounded by his wife, children and grandchildren at University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison, WI after a brief illness. Steven was born on February 8, 1963. He was the second of four children born to Charles and Luella (Cox) Hilston. Steven was born in Trenton, MI, and moved to a few other states with his family before settling in Madison, WI. Steven graduated from La Follette High School in 1981. He attended MATC in Madison and earned his real estate license. Steven held many jobs in the Madison area, the last 25 years with WISCO Hotel Properties Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites as their Chief Engineer, up until the time of his illness.

Steven met his wife, Irene Fountain-Payne, in February 1991. After marrying on June 15th, 1991, he joined his wife in Spring Green, WI where they owned a house and several retail businesses at The House On The Rock tourist attraction and Christmas Kiosks at West Towne Mall in Madison, WI. They settled in and raised their family in Spring Green becoming active members of the community. Steven volunteered for many school projects, including installing playground equipment at the Spring Green Elementary School, he supported his children by attending all their band and choir concerts and sports activities. Steven would also volunteer at the Community Food Pantry of Spring Green and volunteer at many of the local fundraisers for community events.

Steven was a passionate Packer and Badger Football fan and loved to cook special game day meals for the family to gather and to watch the games together. He was also a Badger Hockey fan and attended many of the games with his two sons over the years. Steven was also a history buff and loved to go fishing with his children and grandchildren along the Wisconsin River or at Mirror Lake in the Wisconsin Dells.

Steven lived his life to the fullest for his children and grandchildren that he so dearly loved. He made memories of a lifetime cooking all the family meals, building forts in the backyard, weekends were spent in the Wisconsin Dells at the Pioneer Park summer family home on Mirror Lake, with sweet treat trips to the Goody Goody Gum Drop Shoppe. Steven had a sense of humor that included every “dad joke” on the planet when you would least expect it and would make his children cry in laughter. There were no bounds to where he would go, including Fort Jackson, SC for his daughter’s Army graduation ceremony and to Camp Pendleton, CA for his son’s Marine Corps graduation ceremony.

Steven is survived by his wife Irene of Spring Green, WI, daughter Jennifer (Shane) Whitaker of Rock Spring, GA, son Matthew (Aleah) Hilston of Cross Plains, WI and son Michael Hilston of Spring Green, WI. He leaves six grandchildren: Noah Steven Hilston and Holly Sue Whitaker of Rock Spring, GA, Alivia Patricia Rose Hilston, Lincoln Jacobus Joshua Hilston, Madeline Mackenzie Arlo Hilston and Luke Steven Thomas Hilston of Cross Plains, WI. Eldest brother Wayne Hilston and wife Monica, Brookfield, WI, his beloved baby sister Amylu (Hilston) Thering and husband Pat of Sun Prairie, WI. In addition, he leaves several nieces and nephews; Sarah Hilston, Andrew (Jackie) Hilston, Rachel (Hilston) and husband Mark Cerda, Aiden (Hailey) Miller, Chloe Miller, Jake Thering, Colton Thering and several great nieces and nephews, as well as beloved extended family; aunt Doris Cox of Lindsborg, KS, aunt Linda (Cox) and uncle Rick Martin, cousins; Julie (Cox) and husband Rick Martin, Connie (Cox) and husband Kermit Dorf, Craig (Catherine) Czarnecki and son Gabriel, Richard Czarnecki and daughter Celeste, David (Gail) Czarnecki, and several other 2nd cousins. He was preceded in death by his younger brother Thomas Hilston in 2023, parents Charles and Luella Hilston, grandparents Ralph and Evelyn Hilston, Fred and Amelia Cox, uncle Fred “Bud” Cox, uncle Thomas Hilston, aunt Mary Jane (Hilston) and uncle Arnold Czarnecki, aunt Ruth and uncle Henry Sieloff, in-laws Robert and Herta (Kofler) Fountain of Spring Green, WI

A Celebration of Life gathering for the immediate family will be announced at a later date. Those who knew Steven are encouraged to make a donation of their choice to a local animal rescue or to the Community Food Pantry of Spring Green, P.O. Box 6, Spring Green, WI 53588 – memo note: Building Fund in Memory of Steven Hilston.