Virginia Eloise Hill Sidelinger
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| Eloise's children with Wayne Edwin Sidelinger |
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| Steven Lee Sidelinger |
| Michael Wayne Sidelinger |
| Lyndon Earl Sidelinger |
| Nancy Eloise Sidelinger Herring |
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Courtesy Stancil Reunion Archive |
Virginia Eloise Hill, daughter of Millard Lee Hill and Zilphia Stancil, was born March 9, 1929. She was delivered by Aunt Topsey Richardson, a neighborhood woman who also delivered Delia’s babies.
Eloise was born just seven months before the beginning of the Great Depression.
Eloise was the granddaughter of Frederick “Fred” A. Hill and Tempy Ann Stancil and the great-granddaughter of John Thomas Stancil and Delanie Catherine Sasser. She had an older brother, Vernon “Jim” Fletcher Hill, and three older sisters: Mavis Cassandra, Hazel, and Beatrice LaRue.
Eloise grew up in the frame house built by her grandparents, Tempy Ann Stancil and Fred Hill, on the family farm in O’Neal Township of Johnston County, North Carolina. Millard grew tobacco, corn, sugar cane, raised hogs, had mules, a goat, and milk cows. The family had a large garden, an orchard with pecan, walnut, apple, and plum trees, grape vines, chickens, geese, ducks, turkeys, guineas, and beehives. They kept bird and rabbit dogs and, of course, cats.
Eloise had a large extended family and she knew them all. Millard had 13 brothers and sisters. Uncle Jack and Aunt Virginia Hill, who married the year of her birth, gave her a nickname, “Wez”.
Eloise grew up attending Mizpah Presbyterian Church, only a 3/4 mile walk from her house, and the Pentecostal Holiness church, where her mother was saved.
Eloise was just 7 when Millard bought a pedal organ at a Durham auction. He taught her to play “Don’t Let Your Deal Go Down”. She was a natural musician and always played by ear. When the pedal of the organ stopped working, her sister, Bea, moved the pedals by hand as Eloise played. Eloise began playing at church services when she was only 13. She learned to play in two keys.
Eloise started school at the neighborhood school, Moore’s School House. She graduated from Glendale High School.
Eloise was 16 when she became the vocalist for the Sunset Pals Band on WGTM in Wilson, N.C. This was a country band, featured on Saturdays with shows lasting for 30 to 60 minutes. Eloise also had her own two Saturday shows; she sang popular songs, accompanied by a piano. She was also on the locally produced Mustard and Gravy Radio Program on WGTM. (Named for the World's Greatest Tobacco Market, WGTM was founded in the 1930s by the Wilson Tobacco Board of Trade.) While on these live shows, the musical director, Mr. Davis, taught her to breathe properly while singing. Eloise met nationally known singers, Eddie Arnold, Carl Parker, and others, while at WGTM.
Eloise, an excellent dancer, taught Shine, Hazel’s husband, and Laverne’s hubby, Donald Gray Murray, to dance.
Eloise’s aunt, Nancy Lee Hill Callender, was a stenographer for an electrical supply company in Washington, D.C. Her husband Bill was an auditor with the WPA. She invited Eloise to move to D.C. after graduation. Eloise enrolled in Benjamin Franklin University.
Courtesy Stancil Reunion Archive |
While there, she met Wayne Elwin Sidelinger, a U.S. Marine.
Eloise’s first job was with the American Automobile Association. She was secretary to the National President. Eloise rode the train to work, dressed in gloves, hat, heels, and a nice dress. Next, she was hired by Clarence Godber Burton, U.S. representative from the 6th Virginia District, Roanoke, VA. He served in the 80th, 81st, and 82nd Congresses.
Eloise and Wayne began dating. He was the son of Claude Lyndon Sidelinger and Hazel Mahala Andrews and the grandson of Edward Alden Sidelinger. In 1910, Claude was a teacher and worked in a grocery store. In 1940, he was superintendent of schools in Monson, Maine. Wayne grew up and graduated from the century-old Monson Academy in 1945 and joined the Marines. He was stationed in Quantico, Virginia in 1947 and 1948. Wayne was a corporal when they were married. Then he was sent to the Marine Base in Cherry Point, NC.
Eloise and Wayne married on Sept. 30, 1950, in the Wallace Memorial Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C. She wore a lovely long white satin gown with a beautiful full-length train. Her veil was fancy tulle with a headpiece to match. Her bouquet was trimmed in white satin ribbons. A dear friend loaned her the dress.
Mavis and Narvin Godwin drove up for the wedding.
Wayne and Eloise moved to Wilson after Wayne’s honorable discharge from the Marines as a Staff Sergeant in 1952.
After her dad died in 1956, Eloise helped her mother and niece, Laverne, grade and tie tobacco and get it to market. At the same time, she was also caring for sons Steve, 4, and Michael, 1.
In 1965, Eloise and Wayne opened The Antique Barn in Wilson. Steve, a teenager, worked too. Years later, they also opened The Hobby Shop, selling trains of all scales, radio control cars, boats, planes, and helicopter models.
There is a large railroad layout in HO scale located upstairs above The Hobby Shop. Wayne is a founding member of the Wilson Area Railroad Modelers Club. Eloise and Wayne hosted many annual picnics and cookouts for the Wilson Area Railroad Modelers Club.
Eloise was active in the community. She was instrumental in starting the annual Glendale High School class reunion in 1983. She formed the Glendale Reunion Committee and personally contacted classmates by phone and mail.
Eloise was a wonderful, caring sister who frequently called her sisters and looked forward to their conversations. Eloise and Wayne were a wonderful, welcoming couple who entertained so often that their home was referred to as, ‘The Bed and Breakfast on Windemere!’
Eloise and sister Bea enjoyed traveling and went on several trips with Laverne and Donald to Arkansas, Pennsylvania, Nashville, Grand Ole Opry, Opryland, and museums.
Eloise and Wayne loved visits from family and particularly enjoyed grandchildren, nieces, and nephews in the summers. Eloise took them on guided tours to see historical sites, family farms, heirlooms, family members, and the Hill Family Cemetery that Eloise looked after throughout her life. Her mother and father and other family members are buried there.
Eloise, a Charter Member and Life Member of Wilson-Golden Circle Optimist Club founded in 1987, has always supported Wayne in community activities. He is a long-time member of the Wilson (N.C.) Optimist Club. He has served in many leadership roles in the local and Carolina East District of Optimist International. Optimist clubs raise funds for community youth programs.
Eloise and Wayne had four children: Michael Wayne, Steve Lee, Lyndon Earl, and Nancy Eloise. Eloise attended many Stancil Reunions.
Eloise’s appreciation of the past inspired her to write about her mother, who was an expert at using herbs and medicinal plants for natural healing. Eloise started recording details of how Zilphia cured and treated ailments. Eloise had an amazing memory of herbs her mother grew in her garden and how she used them to help many neighbors as well as family.
Eloise’s beautiful smile welcomed everyone. She knew how to make others feel special. She shared wonderful family memories and anecdotes of her childhood. All gatherings were more fun when Eloise was there. Her entertaining personality kept the laughter and funny stories flowing. We will miss her unique sense of humor.
An aura of sunshine surrounded Eloise that spilled over to the rest of us. Eloise died on January 21, 2016, at 86 in Wilson, N.C.
A memorial service, celebrating her life, was held at Winstead United Methodist Church, 1407 Tarboro Street in Wilson, NC 27893.
Eloise was preceded in death by granddaughter; Sara Elizabeth Sidelinger, sisters; Mavis Cassandra Hill Godwin (and husband Willie Narvin Godwin), Hazel Hill Wright (and husband Leon “Shine” Massey Wright), Beatrice LaRue Hill Renfrow, brother; Vernon “Jim” Fletcher Hill and wife Dorothy June Hill. Nieces; Carolyn Frances Hill, Betty Jean Powers Godwin, (late wife of Willie Eugene “Gene” Godwin), Zilphia Dianne Godwin Strickland, (wife of Clay Taylor Strickland). Nephews; Robert William “Bill” Archer (husband of Linda Fay Hill Archer), Willie F.N. Godwin, James Earl Godwin.
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