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Terrell Winfield Hill

Terrell Winfield Hill

Male 1929 - 2002  (72 years)

Personal Information    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    All

  • Name Terrell Winfield Hill  [1
    Born 4 Oct 1929  Columbus, Muscogee Co., Georgia, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Died 5 Mar 2002 
    Buried Talbotton, Talbot Co., Georgia, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Terrell was buried at Oak Hill Cemetery.
    Person ID I61450  Munro
    Last Modified 16 Dec 2010 

    Father Hill,   b. Est 1904,   d. Yes, date unknown 
    Family ID F21416  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Living 
    Children 
     1. Living
    Last Modified 16 Dec 2010 
    Family ID F21414  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • **********
      «i»I wanted to let you know of Terrell's death on March 5, 2002. Our ill-fated adventure started after brain surgery for Parkinson's in November 1999. He had the Deep Brain Stimulator (DBS) placed in his brain.

      It all back-fired leaving him unable to walk, and to communicate - an astounding and tragic event for him. Even though his responses were limited, he could understand; and his lovable personality showed through to the end. Through determination and great effort, on his part and mine, he made a slight recovery over the two years. Then, several months ago, he was diagnosed with bone cancer where there was no hope for recovery.

      The beauty of Terrell's life is that he touched so many lives; and loved every minute of it. He made it so easy for me to love him and to accept the complexities of Parkinson's as just another challenge, as he did.«/i»

      (Letter from Paula Hill - 17 Jun 2002)
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      «i»Terrell Hill was a people person with a passion for public transit. Combining those traits, he became a driving force behind initial public support for MARTA in Atlanta. Once called the Pied Piper of Mass Transit by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, he was a major player in San Francisco's down-town Market Street Development Project and the Bay Area Rapid Transit Embarcadero station and was a senior manager for the Chicago Transit Authority.

      A graduate of Georgia Tech and a native of Columbus, GA, Hill managed the construction of the inter-terminal train system at Atlanta's airport while he was director of the Transportation Division of Smith Hinchman and Grylls. Most recently he was marketing a personal rapid transit system known as CABINTAXI.

      In his own words, Hill once said he began life as a pro-highway advocate. however, in San Francisco, he recognized mass transit as an answer to that city's traffic problems which he saw "damaging that precious city". He sold his car in 1969 and began going everywhere by bus and train. He was a convert to mass transit.

      Hill moved to Atlanta and became the city's chief proponent of mass transit - along with Atlanta attorney Stell Hule; former Mayer Sam Massell; engineer John Coil; banker Roy Blount and others.

      A true believer in his transit work, Hill also possessed a great appreciation for the out-doors and the active life. As a young man, he sailed from Newport Beach, CA, to Tahiti with Georgian Fuller E. Callaway III to compete in the International Trans-Pacific yacht Race. Their sloop, the Morningstar, won the 1961 race. He skied many slopes in the U.S. and abroad.

      One of his great relaxations was working in his garden and nurturing the hundred year-old oaks surrounding his home. Even after Parkinson's had disabled him seriously, he hiked with the help of his wife, the former Paula Douglass of Atlanta, far into the forests and mountains of North Carolina where he identified trees and flowering plants for visitors to the area.

      He translated this love of the outdoors into sxpressions of his belief in mass transit. "I can plant a tree and please myself because I like trees," he once said. "I can make a park and please more people, perhaps, but I can plan a transit system and please the entire city."

      Terrell Winfield Hill was born October 4, 1929 in Columbus, Georgia. He graduated from Darlington School in Rome and from Georgia Tech in 1952. He was a member of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity and began his engineering career with the Jordan Company of Columbus where he was assistant to the president for general contracting and land development. He was in the United States Marine Corps from 1952-54 during which time he trained Marines for night fighting.

      He is survived by his wife, a daughter, Jennifer Shete of Seattle, Washington; a sister, Helena Tuggle of Columbus; two granddaughters and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

      The funeral will be Saturday, March 9 at 11:00 a.m. at the Northside United Methodist Church. The family will receive visitors at the church at 10:00 a.m. A graveside service will be held at Oak Hill Cemetery in Talbotton, at 4:00 p.m. Saturday. Following the graveside service, the family will receive guests at 1015 Brookwood Avenue, Columbus.

      The family suggests that in liew of flowers, donations be made to the Atlanta Chapter, American Parkinson's Disease Assn. at P.O. Box 49416, Atlanta, 30359.

      Arrangements by H.M. Patterson & Son, Spring Hill Chapel, 1020 Spring St. «/i»

      (Obituary of Terrell Hill from an unknown newspaper enclosed in a letter from Paula Hill - 17 Jun 2002)
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  • Sources 
    1. [S778] Clan Munro files - Hill, Paula, Paula Hill, Letter from Paula Hill - 17 Jun 2002 (Reliability: 3).