James Albert Hill
Jim was born March 6, 1931, and died Feb. 28, 2012. He married Evelyn Pate on Sept. 5, 1955.
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| Jim and Evelyn's children |
| Michael Reid Hill |
| Ginger Bess Hill Lassiter |
James "Jim" Albert Hill, the oldest son of Floyd Jackson “Jack” Hill and Susan Virginia Warren, was born on February 28, 2012.
He is the grandson of Tempy Ann Stancil and Frederick Hill. He grew up in Wilson, N.C., and graduated from Charles L. Coon High School.
Jim joined the Air Force in 1951. A trained aircraft mechanic, he was selected for jet engine mechanic training. This opportunity was pivotal in Jim’s Air Force career.
In 1953, Jim was one of the 22 enlisted men selected to help maintain the Thunderbirds aircraft. The Thunderbirds was the Air Force’s air demonstration team. He was named the first crew chief and sent to Luke Air Force Base in Arizona, the first home of the Thunderbirds.
Two memorable events happened while in Arizona. Jim started smoking and purchased a 1949 Ford. He had the car customized. Unfortunately, it was stolen by an Air Force policeman while Jim was away on a trip with the Thunderbirds.
Jim was a Staff Sergeant when he received an honorable discharge in January 1955. He returned home to Wilson while he contemplated his future.
Continuing his Air Force career was tempting. One day, his mother asked him to pick up her paycheck from Sidney Bloomingthal, a textile mill. Jim noticed a very attractive girl in the office and managed to get an introduction to Evelyn Pate before he left. Evelyn was from Richmond, Virginia.
Evelyn and Jim's attraction was immediate. On the following Sunday afternoon, Jim took her out in his snazzy black 1953 Buick hardtop. They drove around Wilson, and it seemed that Jim knew most everyone who lived there. Before long, they realized they were both in love and made plans for a future together. The Air Force was just a memory.
They made wedding plans for a September 5, 1955, wedding.
Evelyn found the dress of her dreams at the Mother and Daughter Store in Wilson. It was a white ballerina-length lace gown with long sleeves. She selected a short veil and white satin slippers. Her bouquet was an orchid surrounded by mixed flowers.
Her attendants were her two sisters, Bertha and Ann Ray, and Jim’s sister-in-law, Peggy Jean Petway Hill. Each attendant wore a different color and chose between blue, yellow, and green.
Jim and Evelyn were married in the Fellowship Hall of the 5 Points Missionary Baptist Church in Wilson because the new sanctuary was still under construction.
They planned a honeymoon trip to western North Carolina. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate. Rains and high winds forced them to stop between Greensboro and Winston Salem. They returned home.
Jim was hired as an insurance investigator and did this for 14 years. In his spare time, he was a player/manager for a local softball team. He was an excellent pitcher. Jim was very proud when they won a tournament and became the NC State Softball Champion.
When Evelyn became pregnant, they moved in with Jim’s parents. Jim was there for the birth of their son, Michael Reid Hill, on August 11, 1959. Their daughter, Ginger Bess Hill, was born on April 25, 1966.
Jim served as a Boy Scout leader for 10 years while Reid was a scout.
Jim discovered the fun of playing golf while stationed in Arizona. He shared this with his son Reid, who became a golf pro. Jim continued playing golf until physical problems caused him to give it up in 2008.
About 1969, Jim went to work for White Tire Service in Wilson. After he retired, he agreed to be a consultant, a position he held for many years.
Jim was 54 years old when he gave up smoking. Years later, it would plague him as he developed lung cancer.
In 1988 and 1989, Jim had both hips replaced. Then he had successful triple bypass heart surgery. He recovered and returned to all normal activities, including playing golf, doing yard work, and doing everything he loved. When he developed back pain, a doctor injected cement that solved the problem.
When his cousin, Nancy Hill Calendar, daughter of Arnettie Stancil Hill, moved to Wilson and her health failed, she contacted Jim for help. Nancy arranged for Jim to handle all her financial affairs. As Alzheimer’s took away her mind, Jim was there to make sure her needs were met until her death in 2006.
Jim stood by Evelyn's side when she suffered a stroke in 2002. In September 2005, Evelyn and Jim celebrated their 50th anniversary with a family dinner at a grand old house in Elm City, NC.
In 2005, Jim was diagnosed with lung cancer. He underwent chemo and was given a clean bill of health. Jim returned to golf and was able to play for three more years. He successfully recovered from pneumonia, and then in 2010, the lung cancer returned, and he again received chemotherapy treatment.
Jim fought valiantly, and his first concern was always Evelyn. His children Reid and Ginger visited often.
Jim died at 80 on February 28, 2012. His funeral was on March 1, 2012, at Wilson Memorial Service, followed by a visitation. He is buried in Maplewood Cemetery in Wilson.
He was preceded in death by his younger brother, Edward “Ed" Warren Hill, and nephew, Edward “Eddie” Warren Hill Jr.
Evelyn died at 93 on December 24, 2022, in Wilson.
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