John Darius Hill, Jr.

John Darius Hill, Jr., 59, of 030 Virginia Ave., Sunbury, NC, died Thursday, January 3, 2013 in Albemarle Hospital, Elizabeth City, following a brief illness. Mr. Hill was born in Suffolk, VA and was the son of Mary Ann Turnage Hill of Sunbury and the late John D. Hill, Sr. A 7th grade Social Studies teacher at Camden Middle School, and a former teacher at Albemarle School, he had served as faculty advisor to the Student Government Association, had coached basketball, and had worked with students in History Quiz Bowl challenges in all levels of state competition. A member of Philadelphia United Methodist Church, he had served several times as chairman of the Gates County Republican Party, was an active member of the Sunbury Ruritan Club where he had held all offices on numerous occasions, and also had served as Ruritan Zone Governor and as Lt. Governor and Governor on the district levels. In addition to his mother he is survived by his wife of 30 years, Dora Collins Hill; two daughters, Sarah Ann Hill of Rocky Mount and Mary Elizabeth Hill of Elizabeth City; a sister, Mary Turnage Hill Cullop of Lexington; a nephew, Richard James Cullop and wife Jennifer of Columbia, SC; his mother-in-law, Eleanor Forbes Collins of Shiloh, and a sister-in-law, Patricia Collins Brinkley and husband William Earl of Shiloh. Funeral services will be held Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. in Philadelphia United Methodist Church by the Rev. Steven Hall and the Rev. Cody Brinkley. A private burial will follow in the Cross Family Cemetery in Sunbury. Friends may join the family Tuesday from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. in Miller Funeral Home, 304 Main Street, Gatesville, and other times at the residence. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to Sunbury Ruritan Club, in care of Mike Cronce, PO Box 214, Sunbury, NC 27979. Online condolences may be made by visiting www.millerfhc.com.