GRANBURY — John Hill, Granbury resident and a former banker, died peacefully on Sept. 25, 2012. He was 89.
Funeral: 11:00 a.m. Monday, Oct. 8, 2012, at First United Methodist Church with Rev. Neil Norman officiating. Interment: Holly Hills Memorial Park in Granbury. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8, 2012, at Wiley Funeral Home.
Memorials: The family suggests that memorials be made to Ruth’s Place Clinic or Granbury First United Methodist Church.
John was born May 27, 1923, in Dawson, Texas, to Robert and Moneta Hill of Dawson, who owned a tailor shop. After graduating from Big Spring High School in 1941, John enlisted in the United States Coast Guard and served in the Pacific Theatre of Operations in World War Two. After the war, he attended North Texas State University, now the University of North Texas, and earned a B.A. in Business Administration.
He married Mary Jo Hill, a native of Granbury, Texas, in 1950. The couple lived in Denton until moving to Big Spring, where John worked at Cosden Petroleum Refinery for 25 years. During his tenure at the refinery, John held several positions, beginning as a yield clerk and later promoted to personnel director. In 1968, the family moved to Granbury, where John began his 25-year career as a loan officer, marketing director and member of the board of directors at First National Bank. His love of business led him to become active in commercial and agricultural real estate and resulted in the construction of Granbury’s first Wal-Mart, Chili’s Restaurant, Braum’s, Walgreens, Pecan Plaza, The Estates Retirement Center and many other businesses that brought jobs and tax revenue to the citizens of Granbury.
John and his wife of 61 years also donated a building to house the second location for Ruth’s Clinic, a non-profit organization that provides free medical and other family services to needy families.
John was a Free Mason and also an active member of the First United Methodist Church in Granbury.
Survivors: Sons, Robert Crawford Hill and wife, Charlotte, of Colleyville, Thomas Kelly Hill and wife, Debra, of Granbury; grandchildren, Brittany Leigh Newman and husband, Johnny, of Granbury, Cole Garner Hill of Brooklyn, New York, Chris Spencer of Granbury; great grandchildren, Gray Seward of Granbury, Addysyn Spencer of Gilmer; sister-in-law, Diane Schuster and husband, Bill, of Denver City, Texas; nephew, Gary Schuster of Gallup, New Mexico; and a niece, Dana Partin of Colorado City, Texas.
Wiley Funeral Home
Granbury, 817-573-3000
