Hill, Frederick William

HILL, HECKEL, GIDLEY, GRAHAM, PICKERING

Posted By: Daniel Shaul (email)
Date: 5/31/2022 at 17:51:49

The Hamburg Reporter, Dec. 14, 1950, page 1

FRED W. HILL, OUR EDITOR AND PUBLISHER, PASSES AWAY FOLLOWING BRIEF ILLNESS

Word reached Hamburg Friday evening of the death of Fred W. Hill, editor and publisher of The Hamburg Reporter. Mr. Hill passed away at 7:20 p.m., Friday, Dec. 8. He suffered an attack of coronary thrombosis Friday, Dec. 1, while addressing a class in journalism at the University of Mississippi and was taken to Oxford hospital, where his condition was reported as “favorable” to his doctors at home. He continued to slight improvement until Monday, when he suffered another attack, and another again Friday when he suffered the fatal attack about 4 o’clock p.m.

Mrs. Hill and their daughter, Mrs. Paul Graham of Mitchell, South Dakota, were called to his bedside by news of the first attack and were able to reach Oxford, Miss., by 1 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 2. They remained with him during the week. Harold L. Martin, close friend of Mr. Hill and family, went to Oxford Friday night to accompany them home. The funeral party arrived in Hamburg Sunday at 1 p.m., and was met by a large number of relatives, friends and business associates, who were deeply saddened by Mr. Hill’s sudden passing.

Frederick William Hill, son of Rev. Enoch and Eliza Pickering Hill, was born at Grand Junction, Iowa, January 21, 1883 and passed away at Oxford, Mississippi, Dec. 8, 1950, at the age of 67 years, 10 months and 14 days. He was the oldest in a family of six children. As a member of a Methodist minister’s family, he lived in several Iowa towns during his childhood and his youth.

He was educated at the Woodbine Normal and Simpson College in Indianola. In 1905 he came to Sidney where he was employed on the Fremont County Herald and there on June 2, 1909, he was united in marriage to Miss Edna E. Heckel. One daughter, Katherine Elizabeth, was born to them.

Mr. Hill came to Hamburg in 1907 and edited the Hamburg Democrat for eight months. He purchased an interest in the Hamburg Republican which was consolidated with the Democrat and operated until 1912, with the late W.T. Davidson. He then purchased the Hamburg Reporter. In 1928 Mr. Hill purchased the Hamburg Republican and consolidated the two papers, which he edited and published for the remainder of his life.

Mr. Hill was active in editorial organizations for many years. He was past president of the Iowa Press Association and a member of associations of surrounding states. He served as president of the National Editorial Association in 1946 and received many high honors, both as an editor and for his weekly newspaper. He has been an outstanding civic leader through his entire life. He was a member of the Methodist church from his youth, and served on the local church board for more than forty years. He was a charter member of the Hamburg Kiwanis Club and was a member of the I.O.O.F Lodge No. 197.

He is survived by his wife and daughter; his aged mother, one sister, Mrs. T.W. Gidley of Malvern, three brothers: Charles of Arlington, Washington, Harold of Bedford, Iowa, and Paul of Seattle, Washington; several nieces and nephews and friends far and near. A sister, Pauline, passed away at the age of nine years, while the family lived in Woodbine.

Funeral services were held Tuesday, Dec. 12 at 2 p.m. at the Methodist church in Hamburg, conducted by Rev. C.C. Latta, assisted by Rev. J.H. Freedline. Burial was in the Sidney cemetery.

Hamburg has lost one of her most beloved citizens.