Reuben Hill was born on July 4, 1912. He earned his B.S. degree from Utah State University in 1935, his Master's degree in 1936 and Ph.D. in 1938 from the University of Wisconsin. Dr. Hill was a professor at Wisconsin Union (1938-1941), the University of Wisconsin (1941-1943), the University of South Dakota (1942-1944), Iowa State College (1945-1949) and the University of North Carolina (1949-1957) before joining the faculty at the University of Minnesota as professor of sociology in 1957. In addition, he was named as director of the Minnesota Family Study Center, a facility to assist in graduate training for students studying family relationships. In 1973, Dr. Hill was awarded the title of Regents' professor, the highest honor bestowed upon the faculty at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Hill retired as Regents' professor emeritus in 1983 and died on September 21, 1985.

Dr. Hill was a world renowned expert on marriage and families, focusing on family problem solving and adjustment to crises. He was a member or consultant for over 50 organizations, including the American Sociological Association, the Social Security Administration, the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the International Sociological Association, of which he served as president (1970-1974). Dr. Hill was a prolific writer, publishing hundreds of articles and books during his tenure as a sociology professor and researcher.