Bishop Gilford Cecil Hill

Bishop Gilford Cecil Hill, 92, made his transition into eternal life with our Lord on Friday, Nov. 2, 2018. 

He was born in Knoxville, on Aug. 2, 1926, to Luke and Elsie Hill. 

He was preceded in death by his parents; his daughter, Dora M. Gash; grandson, Victor M. Hill; three brothers, Willard R. Hill, Edward O. Hill, and Lodies Earles; and two sisters, Ethel Jackson and Hazel Powell.

He graduated from Austin High School in 1946, and enlisted in the Army of the United States Armed Forces on June 2, 1945. He received an honorable discharge on Oct. 3 of the same year. Bishop Hill worked for KUB (Knoxville Utility Board) for several years, before going into full-time ministry. 

Bishop Hill pastored several churches with the Church of God Sanctified churches, including Hi Top, Tennessee COGS, which was his first assignment. He was with the COGS for 20 years in Cleveland, before re-locating to Nashville, where he was pastor at Meharry Boulevard COGS. He was also assigned to the Boyd Street COGS for nine years in Knoxville. 

Bishop Hill then returned to the Cleveland COGS, where he aimed to transform a small congregation into a thriving, service-focused community with a mission, “To teach the Word of God, seeking to aid the Body of Christ, and reaching out to the lost and spiritually weak.” He served as Pastor Emeritus until his passing. Bishop Hill was also a faithful employee of Patton Funeral Home for many years. 

He leaves to cherish his memory, his loving wife of 72 years, Louella Evans Hill; sons, Bishop Dr. Guilford R. (Dera) Hill, James Eric (Norma) Hill; daughters, Elsie Hill Walters, Louella Cecilia (Rodney) Dunn, and Tanya Grace Hill; grandchildren, Gerald (Alexandria) Hill, Courtney (Kim) Walters, Randall (Tanasha) Gash, Kedric L. Hill, Jamie Hill (Christopher) Ferrell, and Evan A. Hill; 13 great-grandchildren, including Monique and Courtnesha Walters, whom he helped raise; one great-great-grandson, Karter L. Boyd; sister-in-law, Regina Evans; nephew, Charles Evans Jr.; nieces, Karen Hill Davis, Dr. Avice (Gary) Reid, Meredith Evans, Cheryl Glenn; a host of other relatives and friends; and special friend, Alice Cannon.

The body may be viewed at the Church of God Sanctified, 746 1st St., Cleveland, on Friday, Nov. 9, from 1 until 6 p.m., with a wake 6 until 8 p.m. 

The family will receive friends on Saturday, Nov. 10, at noon at South Cleveland Church of God, 1846 Volunteer Drive S.W.. The service will begin at 1 p.m., and Bishop Guilford R. Hill will be the eulogist.

Interment will be at the Chattanooga National Cemetery on Monday, Nov. 12, at 9:30 a.m. 

Patton Funeral Home (www.pattonfuneralhome1962.com) is honored to serve the Hill Family.

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