Thomas Hill

Thomas William Hill, age 81, went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, August 24, 2021, in Fort Worth, Texas.  He is a sojourner no more.  Tom was born March 20, 1940, in Dallas, Texas, to Boyd William Hill and Bessie Mae Clay-Hill.  Tom was raised in Dallas and the South Bay California area graduating from Narbonne High School in Lomita, California, in 1958 before joining the United States Air Force.

Tom was stationed at Soesterberg Air Base / Camp New Amsterdam with the 32nd Fighter Interceptor Squadron in The Netherlands in 1963 when he met the love of his life, Johanna “Anneke" Catherina Prins, while she was working at the duty-free shops at Amsterdam-Schiphol Airport. They fell in love and were married at the English Reformed Church in the Begijnhof in the center of Amsterdam in 1964.

Tom was as an aircraft mechanic for Pan American Airlines at Schiphol Airport while in Amsterdam.  After the birth of their first son, Guy William Hill, the trio moved to the United States, settling in Redondo Beach, California, where Gary John Hill and Patrick Boyd Hill were born to complete the family.

When Anneke became homesick, the family moved back to Amsterdam, where they lived until March of 1975 before their final move back to Southern California.  Afterwards, Anneke convinced her parents and siblings to immigrate as well.

Once back in the states, Tom’s career path led him to Garrett Air Research and Northrup-Grumman as well as long haul truck driving for Bekins and Global Van Lines. Tom eventually returned to his love of aerospace and finished his professional career at Northrup-Grumman working on the F-18 and B-2 before retiring in 1995.

Tom and Anneke relocated to Longview, Texas, in 1996 and for over 13 years, enjoyed many hobbies, not the least of which was entertaining grandchildren.  Anneke sadly passed away in 2009.

In 2013 Tom moved to Fort Worth where his son, Gary and Tom’s youngest grandchildren resided. Tom would find joy in spending time with his grandchildren and his continued love for restoring classic vehicles. Tom could always be found “tinkering” in the garage. At any given point Tom always owned at least one classic automobile. His most recent project was a 1953 Ford Victoria.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents, Boyd William Hill and Bessie Mae Clay-Hill; his mother and father-in-law, Gerrit Jan Prins and Aaltje Melissen Prins; and the love of his life, Johanna “Anneke” Prins-Hill.

Tom is survived by three sisters, Linda Hill, Judy Logan and Kathy Tidwell; his three sons and their wives, Guy William Hill and Cindy of Lawndale, California; Gary John Hill and Rebecca of Fort Worth, Texas; and Patrick Boyd Hill and Linda of Longview Texas; nine grandchildren including Katrina Brewer, Jayme Salmon, John Coats, Michael Hill, Christopher Hill, Patrick Thomas Hill, Aiden Ramos, Matthew Hill, and Lillian Hill; and three great-grandchildren including Johanna Hill, Charlotte Hill and Cooper Hill.

Memorial Service: 12:00 p.m., Monday, September 13, 2021, at Winscott Funeral Home, 1001 Winscott Road, Benbrook, Texas 76126.  Graveside services were held at Rosewood Park Cemetery in Longview, Texas on August 30, 2021 at noon, with military honors.

(For guests traveling from out of town, we recommend Hyatt Place Fort Worth Cityview at 5900 Cityview Blvd, Fort Worth, Texas 76132, 1-855-680-3239).