Gerald Wayne Hill, 86, passed on June 20, 2025, in his Ethel, Washington, home surrounded by family.
Gerald was born in Dickenson County, Virginia, at home to his mother, Ruby V. Hill, and father, Harless E. “Poppy” Hill. Gerald, nicknamed “Doc,” had eight siblings: Roger, Bill, Jerry, Jo, Nancy, June, Oneta and Violet. His father, Poppy, was a coal miner. His life in Virginia was a hard one—no running water, no refrigerator, no telephone, a coal- and wood-fire stove, and dirt roads. School was two miles away by foot; there were no school buses at that time. His highest grade of education was the seventh grade, where he had the option to go to the big city of Clintwood where the high school was—but Doc needed to help his mother, so he got his first job tending to cornfields. He pulled weeds and tended to the crop for 25 cents an hour. The family moved to Ethel, Washington, in 1955 by train.
In 1958, Doc got a job at Weyerhaeuser falling trees or cleaning and preparing chainsaw equipment, but his career at Weyerhaeuser was unexpectedly cut short when he was injured for a second time logging in 1978. He loved to tell stories about his time at Weyerhaeuser to anyone who would listen.
Doc enjoyed gardening, but mostly spending time with his family. He was very present in the lives of his grandchildren, who fondly remember summers spent with their Pa taking walks, eating apples that he peeled and cut up, watching the Disney Channel, learning how to drive on the long dirt road, and lawn mower rides. Doc loved his grandchildren, giving them all they could ever wish for. It felt as though they never asked for a thing and were showered with love and gifts nonetheless.
Doc is survived by his sisters, Nancy (Roy) Towry, Violet Stearns and Oneta Hill; his brothers, Billy (Rosealee) Hill and Jerry Hill; and his six children, Dennis (Pam) Hill, Michael (Angelina) Hill, Darrell (Liz) Hill, Troy (Janet) Hill, Catherine Hill and Travis (Robin) Hill. He is also survived by his 20 grandchildren, Heather Garman, Stefanie Larsen, Stash Noga, Adam Noga, Kelly Hill, Kristin Gaffney, Dustin McDowell, Elizabeth Hill, Taylor Smalley (Anderson), Lorenzo Hill, Jimmy Henricksen, Rachel Hill, Halle Hill, Austin Hill, Bradford Tobin, Courtney Tobin, Rhian Robinson (Hill), Colin Hill, Braeden Hill and Jeff Hill; and his 20 great-grandchildren.
Doc is preceded in death by his wife, Jackie Sue Hill; mother and father, Ruby and Poppy Hill; his brothers, Roger Dale Hill and Joe Columbus Hill; his sister, Thelma June Bell; and his infant son, Ronald Hill.
A celebration of life will be held at 1 p.m. on July 12, 2025, at the home of Gerald and Jackie Hill, 218-A Pinkerton Road, Ethel, Washington. All are welcome.
