Carl Renauld Hill Obituary
CARL R HILL
November 27, 1935 – March 15, 2021
Carl Renauld Hill passed peacefully Tuesday evening, March 15th to the music of Chopin Nocturne in E Minor with family by his side. Born at home in Hudson, MA to Carl William Hill and Doris Austin Hill, he grew up in the countryside of Berlin, MA where he connected with nature exploring 4 miles of woods in his backyard. He enjoyed being outdoors fishing, hunting, camping and hiking throughout his life. He was the youngest of 5 children.
He was considered a piano prodigy. He auditioned for Arthur Feidler’s Boston Pops at the age of 12 where he received accolades for “keyboard touch, musical expression and interpretation of Debussy and Beethoven.” He loved and pitched baseball and was known for change up pitches and killer curveballs. He was a marksman who learned to shoot with a Remington 22 single shot bolt action rifle. He met his beautiful wife, Barbara Curtis, at a skeet field where his marksmanship impressed his future father-in-law, Mercer E. Curtis of Marlborough, MA. They were married on November 30th, 1953 and honeymooned camping on Mount Washington. Their children gifted them with a 50th wedding anniversary trip to Kauai, Hawaii which they said felt like another honeymoon! They enjoyed a happy and long 67 years of marriage and despite life’s many challenges, they became best friends. Carl spent the last 15 years of his life fighting Parkinson’s Disease and his wife, Barbara, became his main caregiver. It was heartwarming to witness their love for each other during his last days on the earth.
Carl graduated high school from Worcester Trade School. He received college degrees in business and engineering from Hartford State Technical Institute and New Haven College while working full time supporting his family.
His professional career started out as a tool and die maker for Surprenant Manufacturing Co in Clinton, MA,. He later held engineering positions with Hitemp Wire Co., Westbury NY; Revere Corporation of America, Wallingford, CT; and Director of Operations with Galite Division of Galileo Electro Optics in Wallingford, CT. His career culminated in becoming the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for The Whitney Blake Company of Vermont, Inc., an ISO 9002 certified manufacturer of retractile cords and cable assemblies. He was selected by his peers of the New England Wire Club to receive the Charles D. Scott “Distinguished Careers Award” for his contributions to the wire and cable industry. He was a member of the Wire Association. Carl’s intelligence, humility, compassionate heart and listening ear made him popular among his employees and colleagues.
Family life was rich in outdoor activities including hiking, picking (and eating!) apples and peaches at Lyman Orchards, CT., skeet shooting, tobogganing, camping, boating, water skiing, going to Newfound Lake, NH, and Kokadjo, Maine on vacation, and playing baseball with our family-neighborhood baseball team. He was a father who inspired, set an amazing example of hard work, and effectively guided his children when they needed it. He was generous, patient, and kind. He mentored and motivated all of his children. Family, friends and his caregivers often described him as “the sweetest man.”
He is survived by his wife, Barbara Hill; daughter and son-in-law, Bonnie Hill and Tim Haddad of Tacoma, WA., their daughter, Anna Haddad of Cambridge, MA; sons Keith Hill of Haddam, CT., Russell Hill and daughter-in-law, Sherry Forline Hill, of Durham, CT., and their daughters, Erika Hill of Wayland, MA and Katelyn Hill of Quincy, MA; Warren Hill and daughter-in-law, Valerie Siqueira Hill of Portland, OR and their sons, Michael Hill of Portland, OR and Alex Hill of Colorado Springs, CO.
Our family is grateful for the caregivers at The Weatherly Inn in Tacoma, WA and Franciscan Hospice.
There will be a celebration of his life at Thanksgiving and a graveside service in Berlin, MA before then. Donations in tribute to Carl R Hill can be made to the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
