Jerry D. Hill

BENTON - Dr. Jerry D. Hill, 91, of Benton passed away peacefully in his beloved home on Sept. 10, 2025. He was a gentle soul who will be deeply missed by his family, friends and the many people whose lives he touched.

Born on April 29, 1934, in Crab Orchard to Clyde and Cleo (Chester) Hill, Jerry remembered with great fondness his time growing up in this small community. It was a time and place where "if somebody needed help, you helped them." He carried this experience with him throughout his life, and maintained his kindness, sense of humor, and concern for the well-being of others until the end.

He worked a variety of jobs while growing up and making his way through school. When his coal-miner father broke his back in an accident that left him unable to continue in the mines, Jerry helped him drive a truck to haul water and ice. He also worked for the highway department in the summer, stoked a coal furnace at a fraternity house in exchange for a room, worked at an ER in Chicago, and even sold awnings over the phone.

He earned his bachelor's degree from Southern Illinois University in 1955 and his doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) from the University of Illinois College of Dentistry in Chicago in 1959.

After dental school, Jerry served as a dentist in the U.S. Air Force at the former Schilling Air Force Base in Salina, Kansas. Although he loved his time there, he chose to return to Southern Illinois to be closer to the parents who had sacrificed to help with his education.

In 1961, he moved to Benton to take over Dr. Dudley's dental practice. He soon met the love of his life, Karen Graddy. They were married on Aug. 24, 1964, and together they had a daughter, Alicia Ann Hill (now Alicia Hill Ruiz), who was born in 1969.

Jerry had a calm and gentle presence that helped put people at ease in the dental chair. He saw the dignity and humanity in everyone he met and genuinely enjoyed interacting with his patients. He practiced full-time in Benton until 1977 and then served as the dentist for the Choate Mental Health and Development Center until 1998. Although he sold his private practice to Dr. Robin Labuwi in 1978, he continued to see patients part-time in that office until 2015.

Away from his practice, Jerry found joy in the simple pleasures of life. He loved his family and friends and enjoyed nothing more than sharing meals with them. He was an avid golfer and a member of the Benton Country Club for more than five decades. He not only loved the game but also the chance to be outdoors, socialize with friends, and keep an eye out for bald eagles. He had one hole-in-one and won the Club Championship in 1975. In the last few years, he enjoyed sitting in the car and watching others play.

He played basketball for Crab Orchard High School and later enjoyed attending Benton Ranger and SIU Saluki basketball games. He loved dogs, especially his German Shepherds, Neiko and Zeke, and cherished family vacations at Kentucky Lake. In his later years, he enjoyed watching birds and squirrels in his yard and marveled at their different abilities.

Growing up, Jerry attended the Crab Orchard Methodist Church. When he moved to Benton, he joined the First United Methodist Church, where he was married and attended services for many years.

Jerry was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Karen Hill; and his brother, Bob Hill. He is survived by his daughter, Alicia Ruiz (Michael); his nephew, Jeffrey Hill; niece, Leah Jo Hill; and his grandnephews Jonathan, Justin and Jared Gravatt.

The family would like to extend their deepest gratitude to the compassionate team at PRN Professionals Home Service, who made it possible for Jerry to stay comfortably in his home; Residential Hospice Services for their professional and gentle care; and the many friends and staff at the Benton Public Library, the Plaza, Burton's, Bob Evans, and O'Charley's who brightened his days.

Thanks also to Jay Sala and staff at the Benton Country Club for helping him enjoy his favorite place the last few years when he was no longer able to play golf.

A very special thank you goes to former employees Carole Book, Marianne Higginson and Donna Higginson for their decades of support and unwavering friendship.

Funeral services will be at noon Saturday, Sept. 20, at Morton & Johnston Funeral Home in Benton. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to noon. Burial will follow at the Masonic and Oddfellows Cemetery in Benton.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Jerry's honor to the Benton Ministerial Alliance Food Pantry, This Able Veteran, or a charity of the donor's choice.