Washington Sen. Andy Hill dies of lung cancer at age 54

OLYMPIA — Sen. Andy Hill, the key budget writer for the Washington state Senate, has died of lung cancer. He was 54.

Hill died Monday surrounded by his family, according to a statement released Tuesday by his colleague, fellow Republican Sen. Joe Fain.

A former program manager at Microsoft, Hill was elected in 2010 to represent the 45th legislative district, which includes his hometown of Redmond. Hill, who became chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee in 2013, was currently serving a second term following his re-election in 2014.

“He spoke often about how much he loved the people and communities he represented and how honored he was to serve them,” Fain wrote. “He knew that we are faced with difficult and often partisan challenges, but he was always uplifted by the work of those who crossed party lines to solve problems.”

Hill, who never smoked, was first diagnosed in 2009. The cancer ultimately spread to his lymph nodes and his other lung even after chemotherapy and radiation.

After participating in a clinical trial at the University of Colorado Cancer Center, Hill had been cancer-free since early 2010.

However, in June, he announced that he was battling a recurrence, and began chemotherapy and additional treatment.

Republican Senate Majority Leader Mark Schoesler said that Hill was “one of the finest public servants the state of Washington ever knew.”

Hill is survived by his wife, Molly, and his three children, Katie, Allie, and Charlie.