Anita Stewart was born in 1922 and raised on her family’s homestead in Paso Robles California.  She started school at Monte Vista Christian, just down the hill from the Hilltop in 1936 as a 14 year old in the 9th grade.  She married Jim Price, a son of the founder of MVCS, in 1941 while living and working on campus at MVCS. They purchased the Hilltop in 1944 with money saved while working summers at her family’s homestead in Paso Robles.  Anita and Jim served with their 3 children in the jungles of Peru from 1949 until 1973 when Jim passed away unexpectedly.

 

While in Peru the Hilltop was their home in the states during furlough from the missionary field.  The “little house”, believed to be over 100 years old was originally at the bottom of the property and was moved to its current location in favor of the beautiful views soon after Jim and Anita purchased the property. The main house was built in 1976, designed after the house Jim and Anita had built in Peru and remained the residence of Anita until she passed away in 2012.

 

The Hilltop provided respite for many friends and families over the years as Anita generously shared her home with fellow missionaries, teachers from MVCS, family and friends.  Many of Anita’s children and grandchildren lived at one time or another on the Hilltop and the property is still stewarded by Anita’s family including two of her great grandchildren who live there now.