William Hill

William D. Hill, age 94, of Millcreek, passed away on Wednesday April 13, 2022 at his daughter and son -in laws home.  He was born in Erie on July 13, 1927, a son of the late Vernon and Adele Surman Hill.

He graduated from Academy High School in 1946.   Bill lettered in football and basketball while there.   He served in the US Army during WWII in Germany as a tech Sargent.  He was an insurance agent with John Hancock for 30 years.   He loved to dance and golf.

He devoted over 50 years to Erie fastpitch softball as a player, coach, manager and administrator.  He played on 3 PA State “AA” title teams and 2 runner-up state championship teams with a career batting average of .313.   He spent 30 years as a manager in “AA” with teams for Security Peoples, Koehler Beer, Oakwood Café, Opies Café and Carpetowne.   He led the Oakwood Café team to the Central Atlantic Championship in 1977 and finished 6^th in the US National Championships.  From 1990 to 2000 he directed the George Baumann Memorial Day Tournaments, considered to be one of the best ASA Tournies in the country.  As manager, Bill’s teams won over 1,000 games. Bill was a class of 2000 inductee to the Metropolitan Erie Chapter Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, of which he was very proud.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife Carol Doran Hill; a son, Gary R. Hill; a sister Janet Seth (Joe); a brother Russell Hill and many special sister-in-law and their husbands.    

Bill is survived by his loving daughter, Beverly A. Longley Jenks (Richard) of Fairview; daughter-in-law Patti Hill Magers of Erie; a granddaughter Kelli (Adam) Wygant of NC; a great granddaughter Avery Wygant; a brother, Jack Hill (Bobbie) of Nashville, TN; good friend, Carole Mintsiveris; his “best bud”, Buddy Malone and many loving nieces and nephews.

The family would like to give special thanks to Dr.Jack Yakish, Mary Ellen and Mady and  Lakeland Hospice for their wonderful support and care and especially to his caregivers, Sylvia, Tom, Denise and Kurin, and Bob and Terry Reinhart for the many special things they did for him.

Friends may call at the Burton Quinn Scott Cremation and Funeral Services, 3801 W. 26^th Street on Tuesday from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and on Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service at 11:00 a.m. Burial will follow in Laurel Hill Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, Disabled American Veterans 860 Dolwick Dr. Erlanger, KY 41018 or the ANNA Shelter 1555 E. 10^th Street, Erie, PA 16511

Send condolences at www.BurtonQuinnScott.com.