Oconto County Reporter

Lt. Col. Samuel Leigh Hill of U.S. Army, 82, retired, Appleton, died Monday, March 1, 1999. He was born in Mobridge, South Dakota, on January 10, 1917, the son of the late Millard and Nora (Henderson) Hill. Leigh served with the U.S. Army and entered the service on October 15, 1940, at Camp Beauregard, Louisiana, with Company C, 127th Infantry, 32nd Division. He served overseas in the ETO during World War 11 with the 148th Combat Engineers, landing in Normandy. He was also called upon during the Berlin Crisis in 1961. Leigh achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, retiring after 30 years of service to his country.

Following his military career, he worked as a territory manager for B.F. Goodrich for 13 years and had also worked as a Realtor with Bytof Realty for over 30 years, retiring in 1991. Leigh was a long time member of Memorial Presbyterian Church in Appleton, the Appleton Board of Realtors, the Pine Lodge 188 in Oconto since 1940, the Oconto American Legion Post 74 for over 50 years, the Shriners, Beja Temple, and was a 32nd Degree Mason of the Eau Claire Consistory. He was a charter member of the Baseball Couples Bowling League for 35 years. Leigh enjoyed traveling, golf and fishing, but most of all he enjoyed the time he spent with his wife and family at their lake cottage.

Survivors include his wife, Jean (Potter) Hill, whom he married on April 2, 1955, at First Presbyterian Church in Neenah. Leigh is also survived by a son, Steven Hill, Greenville; a daughter, Susan (Mark) Weiland, Glen Ellyn, IL.; two grandchildren, William and Abigail Weiland; a brother, William (Patricia) Draeger, Marion, Ia.; and also by numerous nieces and nephews.

Leigh's father, Millard Hill, died when Leigh was an infant. Leigh was also preceded in death by his mother, Nora Hill Draeger, and his step-father, George Draeger.

A memorial service was held on Thursday, March 4, 1999, at 2 p.m. at Memorial Presbyterian Church, 803 E. College Avenue, with the Rev. Charles Valenti-Hein officiating. Friends called at the church on Thursday from 1 p.m. until the time of service. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been established for the Shriners Children's Hospital.