Robert A. Hill

Robert A. (Bob) Hill, 86, of Chicago, passed away peacefully, surrounded by loving family.

Bob was the founder and chairman of Floor Covering Associates (FCA), which he grew from a single store in an Illinois cornfield that opened in 1976 to what is now the ninth-largest flooring company in America. Today, FCA includes retail stores, a nationwide buying group, and a cutting-edge online business, Efloors.com, which Bob created and launched in 1999, long before internet shopping became the norm. An industry leader and constant innovator, Bob's many professional honors included roles as Chairman of the Board of World Floor Covering Associates, President of the National Floorcovering Alliance, and recognition as both Retailer and Subcontractor of the Year. In 2011, Bob was named Man of the Year by the Chicago Floorcovering Association.

A proud teenage "farm boy," Bob was president of his local Future Farmers of America chapter and happily recalled raising chickens, cows, goats and an award-winning pig. The first person in his family to attend college, Bob graduated from the University of California at Berkeley, where he majored in Psychology and supported himself with a variety of odd jobs that included a stint fighting fires in Alaska and service as an Army Medic. A lifelong learner, Bob taught himself everything from classical guitar to website design and, through his many travels, interests and voracious reading, was constantly absorbing and sharing new ideas. Bob's expertise ranged from astronomy to politics to sociology to opera, with a special passion for Shakespeare and classical music. No one held a candle to his waffles, his "Papa-Bob potatoes" or his special scrambled eggs. A giant and generous mind, Bob was endlessly interesting and interested.

In 2007, Bob and his wife, Thea Flaum, created the Hill Foundation for Families Living with Disabilities, a non-profit organization supporting families dealing with spinal cord injuries. Among other contributions, the Foundation hosts a ground-breaking website, FacingDisability.com, which features thousands of videos drawn from in-depth interviews with people with spinal cord injuries, their families, caregivers and experts. Their work is regularly featured at national spinal care medical conferences. Countless families have been impacted and uplifted by their work.

Bob was born in Oakland, California in 1936 to the late Victor Arthur and Genevieve (nee Trezza) Hill. He is survived by his wife, Thea Flaum; his brothers Dennis (Sandy) and Arthur (Jennean) Hill; his children Vicki (William) Kowaleski and Miranda (John) Kotarac and stepchildren Jonathan Flaum and Alison (Paul Schulman) Flaum; his grandchildren, Wiliam Kowaleski Jr., Sarah (Donald) Lorusso, Kristifer (Tara) Kowaleski, Kylie Kowaleski, Eli Flaum, Jackson Flaum, Lionel Schulman and Lucy Schulman and his great grandchildren Sawyer, Camden, Noah, Seven and baby Callum, who was born the day after his passing. Bob was also beloved by his nieces, Pamela, Richelle and Megan, and his nephew, Douglas, as well as scores of other relatives and friends.

The private family funeral will be followed by a memorial service this summer. Contributions in Bob's memory may be made via FacingDisability.com or to the Hill Foundation, 737 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 1560, Chicago, IL, 60611.