- Date Of Birth: January 12, 1909
- Date Of Death: February 13, 2006
- State: Illinois
Elme J. Hill, 97, of rural Freeport died Monday at FHN Memorial Hospital after a brief illnessMr. Hill was born in Lancaster Township on January 12, 1909, the eldest son of Albert J. and Taletta (Miller) Hill.
The family later moved to Freeport’s East Side where he spent his childhood. He graduated from Freeport High School in 1927 and attended Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, Indiana, and Concordia College in Lake Forest, Illinois. He worked at the Union Dairy in Freeport, co-founded by his father, at one point delivering milk in the early morning hours with a horse and wagon. On July 6, 1937, he married Elsie Schmid at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa.
He and Elsie worked at the Superior Dairy in Freeport, and in 1945, founded the Arrow Foundry which they owned and operated until his retirement in 1976. Mr. Hill was an aviation pioneer. He sold his motorcycle in the 1920’s to buy an airplane kit which he and his brothers, Roger and Paul, constructed and flew. Many early Stephenson County aviation enthusiasts joined the Hill brothers at Hillcrest Airport located on Elmer’s property east of Freeport. During World War II, the airport served as a training field for pilots needed in the war effort. One account states that more WWII pilots were trained at Hillcrest than at any other municipal airport in the country. An accomplished musician, Mr. Hill played the piano and organ and was still accompanying services at Winneshiek Church into his eighties. After his retirement, he worked part time for the Freeport Organ Company. Mr. Hill enjoyed reading. His interests included history, music, science, and theology.
He was an avid and successful gardener whose “green thumb” was legendary. Friends and family will remember his wry wit and steady influence.
He is survived by his children, Joanne LaMont (Larry) Kerchner, Marilyn (Ed) Holtum, John P. (Glenna) Hill, and Diane (Stephen) Wheelock ; nine grandchildren, Beth (Dan) Fox, Rachel (Jim) Gruenwald, Jennifer (Alex) Carter, Sarah (Mark) Helm, Douglas Hill, Lucas Hill, Kevin Wheelock, Brian Wheelock, and Bradley Wheelock, and nine great-grandchildren, Ryan and Brandon Welty, Laura and Anna Fox, Adin, Arwyn and Ava Gruenwald, and Sophia and Gabriel Carter.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Elsie, two brothers, Roger and Paul, one sister, Lillian, three granddaughters, Becky and Cindy LaMont and Kathy LaMont Welty, and a son-in-law, Lynn LaMont.
