Carol Hilden of Nampa, Idaho and formerly of Beaverton, Oregon passed away on December 31, 2025 after a long valiant battle with cancer at the age of 81 years old.

She was born in Portland, Oregon on December 6, 1944, and grew up in Hillsboro, Oregon graduating from Hilhi (Hillsboro High School) in 1961. She went on to college at Portland State University and finished her Bachelor of Science from SOC, Southern Oregon while raising her family in Grants Pass, Oregon. She was involved in many charitable organizations including serving on the board of the Pink Lady’s Auxiliary Program, an organization that assisted the local hospital as a volunteer organization.

In 1978 she moved with her children to Beaverton, Oregon and began working for Tektronix, a high-tech company where she continued her education earning her Executive MBA. Later she worked for Kentrox Corporation as a Marketing Relation Manager.

In 2005 Carol started working as a contractor for Intel Corporation where she continued as a contractor for many different organizations within Intel until 2023 when she retired at the age of 79.

Carol loved adventure and learning something new every day, often saying, “if you learn something new every day, it is not a wasted day.” She loved to travel both for business and personal and was fortunate enough to travel to many places around the world. In her younger years, she loved river rafting and mountain climbing. One of her ultimate pleasures as she grew older was deep sea diving, especially in Fiji where she obtained her Masters Diving Certification and had many exhilarating dives. She always wanted one more big dive in Belise….but now she is diving in the most beautiful heavenly waters.

Carol’s greatest passion was writing a children’s book series based on her beloved teacup Pomeranian, Buddy. In 2025 she realized her goal of becoming a published author of her first book in the series, Adventures with Buddy, “A New Beginning.”

In July of 2024 Carol moved to Nampa, Idaho to live with her daughter and son-in-law to continue her valiant fight with Cancer. Along with her family and the incredible medical team at St. Luke’s Cancer Institute which quickly became a part of her village too, gave her the extension of life which allowed her to realize her life-long literary dream of finishing and publishing her first book.

Carol lived an amazing life filled with many good friends and a family that loved her so very much.

She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Anthony and Kimberly Maris; in addition to her grandchildren, Austin and Sara Leagjeld, Alycia and August Leagjeld, Shelby and Cade Wilkey, Leland Maris and great-grandchild, Olivia Leagjeld.

Carol’s family will be having a Celebration of Life for her at the Beaverton Elks Lodge located at 3464 SW 106th Ave., Beaverton, Oregon, 97005 on Saturday, May 2, 2026 at 2:00pm. We would love to have all that can come to share in the memories and celebrate her life with us.

Carol was extremely passionate about all the animals in her life and the family requests that in lieu of flowers that you donate to your local Human Society or the ASPCS in her memory.