Roger William Hill

Roger William Hill was born in Lincoln, Nebraska on February 23, 1931 and died on July 2, 2025 at 94 years in his home in Berkeley, California. During the depression, his family moved frequently, eventually settling in Omaha, Nebraska where he and his brother, Robert, were raised. He earned Eagle Scout and graduated from Central High with distinction.

An NROTC scholarship led him to Iowa State University where he studied architecture. He served as president of his fraternity. It was there he met the love of his life, Zoe Loes, and they married their final year in college. After graduation during the Korean war, he served as an officer on the aircraft carrier USS Wasp based in San Diego. During their "navy years" they fell in love with California, where they stayed for the remainder of their lives together.

After returning to civilian life, Roger and Zoe relocated to Berkeley, California where he obtained a master's degree in Architecture at UC Berkeley. It was during this time, their love of travel flourished, spending 3 months in Europe on $5/day between graduation and starting his career as an architect in San Francisco. He and Zoe started their family shortly thereafter, welcoming Lisa, Bruce, and Brian into their lives.

Roger's proudest accomplishment was designing and building the family home in the Berkeley Hills. During the tumultuous sixties, they chose to raise their family in Berkeley where they experienced school integration as well as many cultural changes. Always fun lovers, Roger and Zoe planned many family adventures such as camping, backpacking, tennis, skiing, and hiking in a Roger built Ford camper van. Later in life, he and Zoe took their grandchildren on many adventures and helped their extended family in many ways.

Roger built a successful architecture career in San Francisco primarily at Stone, Marraccini and Patterson overseeing major hospital projects in the US and abroad. He and Zoe met many lifelong friends in the San Francisco architectural community.

In retirement, Roger and Zoe traveled the world and enjoyed golfing, gardening, reading, and spending time with family and friends. As a Korean War veteran, Roger was a proud docent for 15 years on the USS Hornet museum in Alameda.

A long-time member of the First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley, Roger served as an Elder, Deacon, and on the planning committee for the 1975 Sanctuary.

Roger is survived by his wife of 72 years, Zoe, daughter Lisa (Terry Barker), son Bruce (Stacy Dickinson), son Brian (Marisa) and grandchildren Julian, Aidan, August, Elsie, Iggy, Madeline and Christopher, and brother Robert (Gigi). Roger lived a long and amazing life filled with many adventures and good times with family and friends. Donations can be made in his honor to the First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley. A memorial service is planned on September 12 at 1:00 pm at the First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley which can be attended in person or viewed online on YouTube.