James W. Hill was born in Denver, Colo., on March 21, 1930 to Leo and Grace Hill and he, like many of that greatest generation, managed to excel in life after difficult and challenging beginnings. At 15 he had earned his private pilot’s license, became a talented drummer, and at 17 joined the Navy, reporting to San Diego for basic training on June 10, 1947. After two years as an Aviation Machinist Mate, Jim took leave in Denver and met his future wife Rita on the first day in town. Two weeks later on August 24, 1949 they were married and remained so for 54 years until Rita’s passing in 2003.
Jim and Rita spent their Navy career living in a variety of places including Sanford and Jacksonville Fla., San Diego, Guam and Whidbey Island, where they arrived in 1958. Upon retiring as a Senior Chief Air Traffic Controller from the Navy at NAS Whidbey in 1967, he began work as a Civilian Air Traffic Controller and Training Specialist until a second retirement as a GS-12 in 1987. He and Rita were fortunate to then spend the next 18 years enjoying their life, family and friends.
Jim was creative and highly capable possessing abilities across a wide range of skills and disciplines. Whether building with wood and tools, playing drums, shooting an instrument approach or composing a technically precise and well-crafted sentence, he achieved great results. He is admired for his professionalism at air traffic control and training, and lived a life filled with creative pursuits and interests, which he would launch into with near-religious fervor. Jim was never one to be accused of poor attention to detail or only completing things half way. He often said he didn’t have time for people who only talked about what they were going to do; he cared for what they were doing or had done, and he lived by this, valuing it in others and practicing it throughout a life made rich by experiences and interests.
A love of flying was central to his life and he flew over 29 different aircraft and owned three, a Luscombe, Fairchild 24, and Cessna 195. In recent years Jim continued his passion for flying by building and flying scale radio-controlled model aircraft which won him recognition and admiration for their exacting scale, precision, and degree of difficulty.
His love of flying turned to sailing in the ‘70s and ‘80s and he and Rita spent many years sailing the San Juan Islands aboard Hillarity and Solitaire. The beauty of the Northwest afforded Jim the opportunity to pursue his love of camping and he could frequently be found along a rushing mountain stream enjoying the simple beauty of the campfire, good friends and a few cold beers. Among his pursuits he and Rita enjoyed traveling on their “gentleman’s” Harley Davidson motorcycle and whether camping or staying in places along the way they logged many miles together and with friends.
For much of the last 17 years Jim and Rita traveled the country in their RV trailer staying in the Southwest for many of the winters and stopping at every historic site, scenic overlook, roadside marker, and famous location along their way. In their travels they made many friends who they enjoyed visiting with as they journeyed around the nation.
Whether remembered as a father, grandfather, Senior Chief Petty Officer, camping buddy or friend, he will be missed. He was a man of great humor and passionate convictions who defined honesty, integrity, and hard work with a passion for life and devotion to his wife. Jim could be trusted to do what he said and his word was his bond. He possessed a great talent for telling a tale and told quite a few over beers in the company of good friends. Although his passing has left us all with a sense of loss it is good to know that he re-united with his true-love Rita, which is where he always wanted to be.
Jim is survived by four children; Susan Sanderson of Mount Vernon, Cindy Roberts and her husband Steven of Snohomish, James W. Hill, Jr. of Spokane, and Ron Hill and his wife Briana of Vienna, Va. Two sisters Beverly Rau of North Carolina and Terelyn of South Carolina, also survive. Ten grandchildren, Ryanne Rodriguez, Angela Maddox, Miranda Leppla, Karlee, Lindsey, and April Roberts, and Kaleigh, Mackenzie, Cullen, and Olivia Hill and four great grandchildren; Marisa Rodriguez, Nicole Eldridge, Dartanyn Maddox, Quentin Leppla survive him as well.
Jim was interred with military honors on Friday alongside his beloved wife Rita at Maple Leaf Cemetery in Oak Harbor, following a funeral mass at St. Augustine’s Catholic Church. Arrangements were entrusted to Burley Funeral Chapel, Oak Harbor.
