Thomas C. Hill

1946 - 2021

Thomas C. Hill

July 17, 1946 - August 21, 2021

Tom was born in Prestonsburg, Kentucky, to Lon and Corinne Hill. He is survived by brothers Lon Clay and Joe Hill, and was predeceased by brothers, Jack and Jim and sister, Florence. He graduated from Man High School in Man, West Virginia and headed to college at Western Reserve University in Cleveland, which soon merged with Case Institute of Technology (don't dare call it Case Western). There he met Barbarie Friedly at the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity house on campus. Though she quickly became central to his life, he also always remained proud to recite the Greek alphabet or to identify which U.S. Presidents had been Deke "brothers." He started out in Chemistry, but graduated with a degree in History of Religion, and his greater life took a similar path, as is mentioned below. The same day they graduated, Tom and Barbarie were married at the Cleveland Friends (Quaker) Meetinghouse. They honeymooned in Stratford, Ontario, the first of many times they visited the annual Shakespeare Festival there. They moved to Chicago for graduate school, which was interrupted by two years of Alternative Service as a Conscientious Objector in a chemistry lab in a Chicago hospital ("have you seen the scar where I cut my tendons on a broken flask?"). Graduate school was also interrupted a bit by the birth of their son, Jason. Tom finished his law degree at the University of Chicago and the young family headed to Cincinnati where he joined Taft, Stettinius, and Hollister. Presumably he learned many things there, but it seemed like mattress spring technology was the most momentous, judging by stories he would tell. Son Duncan was born in Cincinnati shortly after they joined Clifton (later Eastern Hills) Friends Meeting. There Tom met many lifelong friends and dedicated himself to a study of Quaker history which absorbed much of his free time, led to the publication of several paper and electronic editions of a book, and swamped his poor study in papers.

Upon retiring, Tom and Barbarie moved to Charlottesville, Virginia in 2009 to live next door to his first grandchildren. No one who knew him doubted, despite his emotionally reserved nature, that Caroline, Graham, Julia, and Corinne were his pride and joy. Fortunately, he sure enjoyed their moms Ángela María and Allie as well. He could occasionally even be coaxed outdoors if it meant seeing one of them (though not without a long-sleeved, button-down shirt).

Steady as a boulder, when Tom set on a path, he could not be strayed from it. Whether that was his faithful marriage, work life, parenting, grandparenting, Quaker meeting commitments, history research, need to avoid added sugar, laps around ACAC's track, or his daily breakfast plan, Tom was as reliable as Old Faithful, though certainly funnier. Unfortunately, Tom / Dad / Grandpa was taken from us too soon after a fall at home this summer. He did not miss the irony – as he emphasized repeatedly: Gravity Always Wins.

Because of the Coronavirus, an open memorial service is not planned. We would certainly appreciate video messages or written messages about Tom. In lieu of flowers, consider donating to the Charlottesville Friends Meeting or the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library. Please, no penguins.

J.F. Bell Funeral Home

108 6th St NW, Charlottesville, VA 22903