Germon Earl Hill

Germon Earl Hill, formerly of Deep Run and Kinston, age 79, died peacefully on Sunday, July 14, 2024, in his adopted home of Colleyville, Texas following a lengthy illness. Earl had been the owner and operator of Hill’s Discount Pharmacy on Airport Road in Kinston before he relocated to Texas in 2001 when his first granddaughter was born. Although Earl loved his pharmacy and his many friends, customers, and family in Deep Run and Kinston, he was happy to call Texas home for the last 23 years of his life. He continued to be a workaholic at a large pharmaceutical company while adoring his granddaughters, Lauren, now 23, and Lindsey, 22, and they “grew up” together. He cherished their name for him, “Pappy”, and was happiest when he spent time with them.

Earl is preceded in death by his goodly parents, Henry Germon Hill, and Selma Frances Harper Hill, of Deep Run. At the age of 12, Earl’s older sister, Eva Elner Hill Britt of Deep Run, died of leukemia. She was only 25 years old with a three-month-old son.

Because Earl and Judy married so young, they always had a goal of completing their educations. Earl was a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the pharmacy program and remained a proud Tarheel throughout his life. He was a lifetime member of the Ram’s Club and proudly contributed to the construction of the Dean E. Smith Center. His wife Judy earned her first “PHT” degree of “putting hubby through” in 1969 when he graduated. Earl quickly started to return the favor by putting Judy through almost seven years of continuing education while she worked as a registered nurse at Lenoir Memorial Hospital. Even though she chose Duke for her MSN program (DOOK according to Earl), he was SO proud of her accomplishments and his contribution to them.

Earl was always an overachiever with a Type A personality. He worked many years for Eckerd Pharmacy before building his own drugstore in Kinston. He became a Mason and a Shriner. He served for nine years on the Lenoir County Health Board. He joined the Kinston Toastmaster program in 1993 and was extremely active in Texas holding multiple positions including District Treasurer and District Governor. While most members are content with earning one Toastmaster DTM, Earl was not satisfied until he earned 12. He was also an overachiever at work as well. He completed his career earning 17 state board certifications from 17 different states. He worked until he was 73 years old, including a summer on a Navajo Indian Reservation in Chinle, Arizona. He never thought of retirement. Earl also earned two additional degrees in Business Administration (1995) and Church Ministries (2000) from Mount Olive College, all while operating his business six days each week. He was driven and had a true love of learning and always encouraged others to further their education. He often recalled his late grandfather, Jasper Dennie Hill (Jappy), saying to him “You don’t have to be the smartest, you have to work the hardest.” Earl was also a number one Elvis fan throughout his life and always regretted never attending a live concert before Elvis left the building (although he did visit Graceland).

Earl grew up in the Deep Run Free Will Baptist Church surrounded by all the Hill family. His grandfather helped build the church. Earl converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Kinston in his 40s. He and Judy were baptized together in the Kinston ward with many of the Woodington ward attending the baptism because they could not believe that Earl Hill would ever join the LDS church! Earl was a devout member of his faith, loved his Heavenly Father, and served the Lord well throughout his life. Because his drugstore was located directly across from the hospital, the emergency room staff often contacted him outside of business hours on nights and weekends to fill discharged patient’s prescriptions. Earl was always willing to help if possible.

Earl had a great love of Deep Run and was a proud graduate of the class of 1963. He scheduled the first week of June each year to return for the Deep Run Reunion to stay connected with high school classmates and to visit his family and special friends. Earl never forgot his roots.

To celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary, Earl made a donation in Judy’s honor to Barton College in Wilson, NC where Judy earned her BSN, and established the Judy Howard Hill Nursing Program. Because of Earl’s generosity, Barton College created the Nursing Endowed Scholarship Fund, the Endowed Nursing Faculty Development Fund, and made substantial upgrades to the Nursing Simulation Laboratory. It was one of Earl’s proudest moments and fulfilled his legacy.

Earl is survived by his beloved son, Douglas Earl Hill, and his wife, Nichole Allen Hill, who live in nearby Bedford, TX with granddaughter, Lindsey. His older granddaughter, Lauren, a recent graduate of the University of Oklahoma, lives and works in Oklahoma City, OK. He is also survived by his devoted wife, Judy Howard Hill. They were high school sweethearts and with his sharp sense of humor, he kept her laughing for 59 years. Earl is also survived by his brothers, Elwood Hill (Nettie Jean) and Donnie Hill (Tina), of Deep Run. He also has several cousins, nieces, and nephews living in the area.

Visitation will be held from 1:00-2:00 PM on Sunday, July 28, 2024, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Woodington Ward), at 6655 Hwy 258 South, Deep Run, NC with funeral service to follow at 2:00 PM. Burial to be held immediately following funeral services at the Deep Run OFWB Church Cemetery, 2390 John Green Smith Road, Deep Run, NC.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the Alzheimer's Association at https://www.alz.org/