**Please note that due to the anticipated weather, visitation has been rescheduled to Wednesday, January 4, 2022, from 3:00 to 5:00 P.M. at Eidsness Funeral Home in Brookings.**

Kenneth Paul Hillner born on August 29, 1938 in Clinton, MA to Everett Charles Sam Hillner and Margaret Rose (Rogler) Hillner passed away on December 21, 2022 at Riverview Healthcare Center, in Flandreau, SD at the age of 84.

Visitation is 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM Wednesday, January 4, 2023 at Eidsness Funeral Home, Brookings, SD.   Ken will have a burial ceremony this spring.

Ken grew up in Clinton, MA.  Ken was very smart.  He was an Eagle Scout and graduated from Clinton High School in 1956 as valedictorian.  In 1960 he earned a BA in Experimental Psychology at Dartmouth College.  Ken received a full scholarship to attend Indiana State University in Bloomington, IN where he received his PhD in Experimental Psychology.  While there, Ken met and married Sarah "Sally" (Holm) Hillner on 6/2/62.  They had two sons Paul and Andrew.

The family moved to Brookings, SD in 1969 where Ken was hired as a Professor in the Psychology Department at SDSU.  Many students said that Ken was their favorite Professor at SDSU.  He was an erudite academic advisor and had a wicked sense of humor.  Ken authored seven textbooks in Psychology.  He taught at SDSU for 30 years and retired as Chair of the Psychology Department.

Ken was a philanthropist giving generously to many groups such as Habitat for Humanity and the VFW.  He was an avid Boston Red Sox fan his entire life.  Boy would he complain if they didn't make it to the Playoffs!

Ken couldn't sing or read music but he listened to music all day long on the radio, his favorite stations being KBRK with Bertram "Bert" Getzug and Minnesota Public Radio.

Ken is survived by his sons, Paul E. Hillner and Andrew C. Hillner, and Andrew's wife Gayle J. (Hinman) Hillner.  He is also survived by his sister Linda R. Gelpke and her husband Richard B. Gelpke as well as Sally's sister Nancy E. Konicke, one nephew and three nieces.

Ken was preceded in death by his loving wife of 60 years, Sally.