Bobby Joe Hill's Obituary
Funeral services for Mr. Bobby Joe Hill, 83, of Leesville will be held on Tuesday, July 21, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. in the Cornerstone Baptist Church in Leesville. Burial will follow in the Pine Island Cemetery in Leesville under the direction of Labby Memorial Funeral Home.
Visitation will be held on Monday, July 20, from 5:00 p.m. in the Cornerstone Baptist Church.
1st Sgt. Bobby Joe Hill was born on Friday, December 13, 1936 in Clintwood, Virginia to Willy Hill and Erma Cochran Hill. He passed away Friday, July 17, 2020 in Lake Charles, La at the age of 83.
He was raised on Cumberland Mountain with his 3 brothers and 3 sisters. Bobby began working on the family farm when he was big enough to walk. His first job was picking up firewood. At 6 years old, he was an entrepreneur, selling single cigarettes to his father’s work hands. As a teenager, he raised crops, cows, chickens, pigs and also drove a coal truck and worked in the mines. On February 27, 1957 at the age of 20, he decided to leave the coal mines to join the United States Army. He was excited to have the opportunity to travel to places he had only read about. He attended Basic Training in Fort Jackson, SC. His dream was to be in the Quarter Master Corps, however while in Alaska he was put into the Infantry Brigade and within 2 years, he had been promoted to E-5. In 1960, he re-enlisted and from there he traveled to Korea. On September 18, 1962, he arrived at Fort Polk where he would volunteer to go to war in Vietnam in 1967. He said he was nervous, didn’t know what to expect but had something to prove to himself. He did two tours of Vietnam and proudly only lost one man. He was also very proud to have captured the highest ranking physician in the Vietnamese Army along with all of their medical supplies in a raid on an underground hospital. 1st Sgt. Hill earned many accolades and awards throughout his successful military career, to include the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart for his bravery and courage. He was very proud to have served his country and was very patriotic. Bobby retired in Leesville, La with his growing family after his Military retirement. For many years, he ran his own company. He worked hard to provide for his family and finally fully retired in his early 70’s. Bobby was a hardworking, dedicated and loving family man. He cherished his children, grandchildren and friends. He was a gifted storyteller and loved to share stories about his life, which he lived to the absolute fullest. Bobby was one of a kind and will be forever missed by everyone who knew and loved him.
He is proceeded in death by his parents Willy and Erma, his wife Madelean, brothers Don, Kenneth and Leonard, sisters Evelyn and Edia, sons Robert and Kenny, and grandson David Thomas Newcomb.
Those left to cherish his memory are his children Floyd Newcomb, Bobbie Tyson, April McKellar, Diane Hilerio, Jeff Newcomb, Tammy Boyd and Renida Bowman and his sister Irene. Bobby will be especially missed by his 23 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren.
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