Birth date: Oct 24, 1948 Death date: Mar 10, 2021
Decatur – George Henry Hill Jr., 78, of Forsyth, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 10, 2021, in his home surrounded by his loving family. He was born October 24, 1942, in Virginia, Minnesota, the son of George Henry Hill Read Obituary
George Hill was a founding member of the Board of the Illinois Juvenile Justice Initiative (JJI), serving for two decades as Treasurer of the nonprofit policy organization. Throughout the two decades, George generously donated his time and his expertise to the organization. His opinion was greatly valued and respected on both the financial status of the nonprofit, as well as on policy initiatives. George was a key participant in JJI’s annual policy retreats, providing a voice from the central Illinois community as well as perspective from his business background.
From some of his fellow board members:
On behalf of the Board of The Juvenile Justice Initiative, I want to extend our sympathy to the George Hill family. As a board member and treasurer of JJI, George brought integrity, expertise and dedication to every task. He was a champion for the just and humane treatment of juveniles throughout Illinois. Rarely was there a meeting when the question wasn’t asked “What do you think, George?” His answers were always insightful and instructive. For myself, I will continue to ask “What would George think?” and continue to be guided by his legacy. Thank you, George.
Herschella G. Conyers, Chair, JJI Board
He continued to give back all his life. Mark Hassakis
George and I had such a wonderful relationship especially the years when I was chairing the Board JJI and I always knew that George was so on top of our finances, that I never had to do anything but ask him any question and he had the answer, and, he always had such wonderful advice about money matters. Then of course we always had conversations about us both being Lutherans. What an amazing and giving person. Alleluia for his life. Gretchen McDowell
George Hill was a strong and steady voice in the JJI Board of Directors for the entirety of my tenure with this organization. He entertained my outspoken opinions and positions with grace and patience. Yes, it was an honor to serve with him and he will be sorely missed. I offer my sincere condolences to the Hill family. May George rest in perfect peace. Ngozi Okorafor
Such terrible news. My prayers are with his loved ones. Michael Rodriguez
So very sad for George’s family and all who benefitted from his advocacy. May he rest in peace. Amy Campanelli
I’m so sorry to hear about George passing. What a loss to the world. Eduardo Bocanegra
So sorry. He had a long-lasting impact on Illinois children. We were fortunate to know and work with him. Paula Wolff
Very sad. My condolences go out to his family. What a warm kind soul he was. I only met him once, and he was very welcoming. Kyana King
As the founder of JJI, I want to express my deep gratitude to George for his invaluable assistance these past two decades. I was fortunate to serve on the IL Juvenile Justice Commission for nearly 15 years with him prior to founding JJI, so have had the great pleasure of working with George for nearly four decades. For me, George was the rock upon which JJI was built. His voice was the caution that I valued – if George was concerned about a policy or financial issue, then I listened, and listened well. He was a mentor for me on financial management and had invaluable insight on community services in central Illinois. As I grew to know George as a friend as well as colleague, I developed a deep respect for him. He was generous in every sense, with his time and his expertise. George was absolutely devoted to his daughters, and so very proud of them both. Every conversation I had with him always included an update on his children. He loved his grandchildren, cherishing his family vacations. In short, George was a dear friend as well as a colleague. I am so grateful to have known him and I will miss him more than I can say. Elizabeth (Betsy) Clarke
