Robert Jeffrey "Jeff" Hill

Jeff Hill, of Ione, GA, passed away the morning of June 14th at home surrounded by family after an extended illness.

Jeff was born in Portsmouth, Ohio, to Bob and Freida Hill, who preceded him in death. He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Rachel; their children, Nancy and her husband Byron, Holly and her husband Ron, Jeff and his wife Kristi; and their grandchildren, Rachel, Ava, and Maggie, as well as his great-grandchildren, Ada and Charlie. He is also survived by his brother, Buddy Smith, and a multitude of cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Services will be held Friday, June 19th, at Allen and Allen Funeral Home in Thomasville, GA (110 W. Hansell Street, Thomasville, GA 31792) at 2 p.m. Visitation at 1 p.m. A celebration of life will follow at 7 p.m. in Pavo at 12406 County Line Road, Pavo, GA 31778.

While Jeff was born in Ohio when his folks were there for work, he was a lifelong member of the Ione and Pavo, GA, communities. As a young man, Jeff played football for Thomas County Central High—or “Central High School,” as it was known then. He played on the historical 1972 squad that won Central’s first Regional Championship in the history of the program.

Jeff followed in his father Bob’s footsteps as an electrician. He went on to be a journeyman electrician for 30-plus years and a proud member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 1531, out of Albany, GA, through which he traveled all over the country.

Throughout his adult life, he traveled around communities in the South GA/North Florida area bringing joy to children as Santa Claus, most notably at Hubbard’s Christmas Tree Farm. (If any kids are reading, he was just helping Santa out.)

Later in life, after he retired from the union, he spent his days watching birds, making wine, growing hot peppers, and approaching every day with a joyful noise.

He was the all-time Nerf War Champion of Pear Street in Pavo, GA, and married his wife Rachel after witnessing her wrestle a bear at the county fair. (That’s how he told it.)

He loved Snoopy and always signed flowers to Rachel as “Joe Cool.” Jeff loved to fish and carried in his head a complete map of every puddle between here and Monticello. He was a genuinely happy man and spent his later years enjoying his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He never stopped laughing.

May we all be so fortunate.