Howard R. “Taffy”
Hill, 87, of Alan Road, South Hamilton, husband of Virginia L. (MacKenney)
Hill, died Saturday, March 26, 2011 in the Beverly Hospital
following his long illness.
Born in Lawrence
June 2, 1923, son of the late John H. and Ethel (Perkins) Hill, he
was raised on Turkey Shore Road, Ipswich and was a graduate of the
Governor Dummer Academy in Byfield. Enlisting in the Army Air Corps,
he served in England with the Eighth Air Force. Serving as a B-24
crew chief his responsibility was the support and operation of the
famous B-24 bomber “Final Approach.” As a crew chief he also flew
many search and rescue missions and test flew aircraft before their
bombing missions. Honorably discharged and decorated with the Bronze
Star, he returned to Ipswich to work in the Hill’s Family Men Store.
For the next fifty or more years he owned and operated the popular
family store until it closed in 1995.
Mr. Hill was a
longtime member of the First Church in Ipswich and was a proud
member of the Ipswich VFW Post #1093 and the Hamilton A.P. Gardner
American Legion Post. # 194. He was a collector of license plates
and a Lifetime member of the ALPCA (American License Plate
Collectors Assoc.) He was an active member of the North Shore Old
Car Club, and enjoyed motoring in his Model T. He’ll be remembered
by many as an avid dancer and for his many contributions to the
community.
In addition to his
wife of fifty-one years he is survived by two sons, Brian H. Hill
and his wife Pamela of Wenham and State Rep. Bradford R. Hill and
his wife Aimee of Ipswich; two daughters, Kimberly A. Allen of Essex
and Shelly D. Buchanan of Hamilton, and nine grandchildren, Brenna,
Casey, Daniel, Zachary Courtney Hill, Shawna and Jenna Allen, and
Ryan and Emma Buchanan. He was the grandfather of the late Mason
Hill and brother of the late Wendell Hill and Beatrice Hill, both
formerly of Ipswich.
His funeral service
will be held Wednesday 10 am in the First Church in Ipswich,
Meetinghouse Green, followed by interment with Military Honors in
the New Highland Cemetery. Family and friends are respectfully
welcomed. Visiting hours are Tuesday 4 to 8 pm in the
Whittier-Porter Funeral Home, 6 High Street, Ipswich, with a service
by VFW Post #1093 at 7pm. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions
in his name may be made to Ipswich Caring, Inc., 4 Paradise Road,
Ipswich, MA 01938 or to the First Church in Ipswich, 1 Meetinghouse
Green, Ipswich, MA 01938.
