Thomas Hillman

Thomas L. Hillman, age 74, of Crofton, Nebraska, died Monday, March 16, 2026, at his home in Crofton surrounded by his family.

No local services will be held. Arrangements are under the direction of the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home in Yankton, South Dakota.

Thomas L. Hillman was born August 28, 1951, in Yankton, South Dakota, to Leslie and Mildred (Hedburg) Hillman. He grew up in Crofton, Nebraska and attended school in Crofton, then for a time in Loveland Colorado and then returned to Crofton where he graduated from Crofton High School in 1969. He then began his career in the Energy Industry. First with the Nebraska Public Power District, then for the federal government with the Bureau of Reclamation and later with the Department of Defense, and then finished his career at Gavins Point Dam. On April 1, 1972 Tom married Connie Woockman and to this union, their three children, Angela, Justin, and Leslie, were born. He married Deborah (Burkett) Wong on October 22, 2004.

Survivors include his wife, Deborah of Crofton, Nebraska; three children: Angela (Ted Alesio) Hillman of Denton, Nebraska; Justin (Ginni Ayres) Hillman of Colorado; and Leslie (Kurt) Randall of Omaha, Nebraska; step-son, Brian Wong of Flushing, New York; six grandchildren: Alex, Gabbi, Abigail, Beckett, Norah and Tegan; two great grandchildren: CiCi and Shiloh; two sisters: Diane Woockman of Crofton and Carolynn Gartner of Yankton; brother-in-law, Dennis Engstedt of Crofton and sister-in-law, Carolyn (David) DeRoos of Crofton.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Leslie and Mildred and siblings: Roberta, Sandy, Joyce and Monte.