John (Jack) William Hill's Obituary
JOHN (JACK) WILLIAM HILL
August 2, 1922 - December 26, 2020
Jack lost his six-year battle with Leukemia on December 26, 2020. A WWII Veteran of
the US Air Force, he flew night missions in a Douglas A-20 Light Bomber in Italy. He
piloted his crew, who were sent out to stop the Germans from advancing on the Po River
and the Brenner Pass in Northern Italy. He always gave his crew credit for successful
missions in the dark, saying he was “just the driver.” A member of the 47th Bombardment
Group (L) 85th Squadron in the Twelfth Air Force, he was awarded the Distinguished
Unit Citation, The European African Middle Eastern Service Medal, and the Air Medal in
1945 for his combat service. After the war, he continued in the Air Force Reserves out of
Travis AFB in CA and retired as a Major in 1982.
In 1952, he joined the Contra Costa Consolidated Fire Department in Walnut Creek, CA
as a firefighter and retired as a Battalion Chief. Jack was instrumental in assisting with the
design of a new alarm system for the department prior to retiring. He piloted the
department’s aircraft for arial fire management during his last years at Station 2.
He and his wife discovered the Carson Valley in Nevada in 1973 while touring the area
on their motorcycle. They were attracted to the beauty of the valley, and Jack had his eye
on the airport situated 2 miles from the lot they purchased. They moved to Minden 46
years ago. Jack flew for over 74 years. For 41 of those years, he flew out of the Minden/
Tahoe Airport until 2015. With his instructor’s rating, he also introduced many of his
friends to the thrill of flying.
If you met Jack, you’d feel like you just met your new best friend. He humbly shared his
knowledge of his favorite aircraft, HAM radios, motorcycles, and old cars. You’d soon
know that his first love was flying, and he was a proud American.
Jack considered himself very lucky. He was not a man to complain except when he lost
his privilege to drive his car. Hope, Happiness, and the Will to Live were never absent,
even in his last days.
During his years living in this valley, he could be found at the Carson Valley Country
Club meeting up with his good friends on Sunday nights. To Jack, his friends were
special; dinner was secondary. He enjoyed a good Picon Punch on occasion at the JT
Basque Bar, where everyone knew his name and enjoyed hearing the stories of his long
life.
Jack was an active member of the Tahoe Amateur Radio Association (TARA) Lake
Tahoe, CA. Also, he was a member of the 47th Bombardment Group Association,
Colorado Springs, CO, and Retired Officer’s Association, Alexandria, VA.
He was predeceased by his mother Sophie Lassiat Hill, father, Thomas Cochran Hill; his
wife Marjorie Saatzer Hill of 63 years; and is survived by his daughter, Judie. A memorial
is being planned at Eastside Memorial Park in Minden, NV on Sunday January 17th at 11am. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the charity of your choice.
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