08/27/2026
Colin Peter Hilton
Colin Peter Hilton died at home in Park City, UT on Friday August 21, 2026. He was 58.
He was born May 1, 1968, in Buffalo, New York, to John and Mary Hilton, and raised in Wales, New York, the seventh of seven children. He attended Iroquois Central High School and graduated in 1985 followed by Binghamton University in New York where he graduated in 1990.
After graduating university, Colin entered the sport event world by working for the World University Games – a role he managed to get by sending a letter to the organization offering to volunteer his time to help run the event.
That work led him to leadership roles at the 1994 FIFA World Cup and the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, and from there to Salt Lake City, where he helped manage the Park City area Olympic venues around the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. It was that work — building something meant to outlast the event itself — that made him realize what he cared about: legacy.
After meeting Missy (Melissa) Hilton during the Atlanta Olympic Games, they moved to Utah and later married and had three children together. They initially met because of both of their involvement in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, and later moved to Salt Lake City together to work on the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. While in Salt Lake, they built a community of friends together and held an elaborate “Run for the Rings” party which is still talked about today by people who were there. They were married for 26 years and spent that time raising a family and becoming deeply involved with the Park City community.
Colin’s love for the outdoors kept him in Utah after the conclusion of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games and he imparted that love of nature in his children by taking them on camping trips and fishing. In true Park City fashion, he spent a great deal of time mountain biking with his dogs, Taz and Sunny. To show appreciation for his favorite trail, “TM”, he added a water bowl for Taz, Sunny, and any other hiker who needed a place to stop for a drink. Colin was also an avid sailor and loved taking his friends and family on his Hobie Cat out on Rockport Reservoir.
He was proud of his work and put everything into it, but he rarely talked about it. He seldom mentioned his role as CEO of the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation. For many years, his kids had assumed he ran a department at the Utah Olympic Park, not the entire foundation.
Before leading the Olympic legacy efforts, Colin worked in economic development following the 2002 Games for the Park City municipal government, overseeing projects like the development of the Park City Ice Arena. Colin’s passion for the development of his community and sport was exemplified in his over twenty years with Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation. A favorite expression of his was “the road to success is always under construction.”
Under his leadership, the Utah Olympic Park, the Utah Olympic Oval, and the Soldier Hollow Nordic Center stayed thriving venues, used by athletes, coaches, and families — not just preserved.
Colin helped lead the effort to bring the Winter Olympics back to Utah for 2034 and received the S.J. Quinney Award for visionary leadership.
He knew people on his staff by name. He championed people others may have overlooked and opened doors that had been shut. He was especially proud of his work getting more women and more kids into the park, because he believed the kids who used it were the ones who should shape how it was run.
Colin’s affection for sport wasn’t just a part of his career; it was a lifelong passion. His favorite winter activity was building, maintaining, and playing on the neighborhood ice rink behind his home every year. He also developed a dual identity between his hometown of Buffalo, NY and Utah when it came to sport. At a Mammoth vs Sabers game this past season he wore a Mammoth sweatshirt and a Sabers hat. When asked who he wanted to win, he said "I just want a good game."
He may have been impartial when it came to hockey, but not when it came to the Buffalo Bills. He never missed a game and was always ready with buffalo wings and his grandma's secret wing recipe ready to celebrate with family.
In a way that was quintessentially Colin, he kept a detailed spreadsheet outlining his life plan. For every year leading up to 2034, he noted “UOLF – UTAH2034,” underscoring his dedication to both organizations. In 2035, the entry changed to simply “UOLF,” marking the moment he hoped to hand the reins to the next generation and step into retirement.
A life plan mapped out ten years in advance isn't something someone writes if they know it's about to end. Taking his own life wasn't something Colin planned — even the week before, he was looking for a way back to normal, a way back to his life. What happened to him is something the family keeps coming back to: su***de is something that happened to Colin, not something he wanted. He wanted out of the depression he was in, so he could go back to loving his family.
He didn't want to die. He didn't see another way out. What he couldn't see was that it would have gotten better — that if he'd reached out and told his family what he was carrying, they could have helped him carry it.
If there's one thing his family wants the people who loved him to know, it's this: you are not alone, and it is always all right to talk about what you're going through. The people in your life are there for the good times, but just as much for the hard ones — and as uncomfortable as that conversation can be, it will always be better than the alternative.
Colin is survived by his three children, Shane Hilton, Evan ("Evie") Hilton, and Adam Hilton; their mother, Melissa Hilton;
His siblings, John (Barb) Hilton of South Wales, NY, Elaine (Bruce) McNutt of Pendleton, NY, Dave (Pat) Hilton of Rochester, NY, Mike (Debra) Hilton of Akron, NY, Richard (Janine) Hilton of Clarence, NY, and Lisa (Jeff) Zoltak of South Wales, NY.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that gifts be made to the 988 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline or another mental health organization of your choice. A gofundme has also been created for supporting Colin’s children. Click here to access the gofundme page
A public Celebration of Life will be held in September to honor Colin's enduring contributions to his local community, Utah's Olympic legacy, Utah 2034, and the global Olympic movement. Above all, it will celebrate the countless lives he touched, inspired, and enriched along the way.
View Colin Peter Hilton's obituary, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.
